Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year I869, by
C. S. HALSEY,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States,
for the Northern District of Illinois.
CHURCH, GOODMAN AND DONNELLEY, PRINTERS, CHICAGO.



PREFACE.
IN preparing this work for the profession, I have been
animated by a desire to throw the light of all the information I could obtain, upon a subject hitherto but little
dwelt upon by Homceopathic physicians, or rather by
authors of our school. In so far as its usefulness may
extend, it is presented as a supply for a pressing demand;
as a work intended to familiarize the reader with a subject gravely imn"- I_,~1fiut yet imperfectly understood or
appreciatS-15yj the medical fraternity at large. It is more
especially offered as a guide to those but just entering
the great medical arena - those who, without the aid of
age or experience, are called upon to encounter a class
of diseases and symptoms indeed perplexing in their
nature, and concerning the origin of which, they, as
beginners, know or suspect little. I have hoped, in this
production, to afford a light making clearer some of
those obscure and distressing forms of difficulty with
which- all physicians are daily brought into contact.
After careful study and consideration of this subject, I
have been led to believe that a far greater apportionment of organic and functional derangements in our
world's wide hospital is attributable to the insidious
hands of self-enervation than our literature or collegiate
curriculums give us reason or authority to suppose.



22             SELF-ENERVATION.
recognizable by those familiar with this form of
difficulty, and the patient, although unconscious of
it, usually keeping them in as close proximity to
the genital organs as the attitude and sex permit.
The body emits an odor of a peculiarly disagreeable
smell, which, although indescribable, is nevertheless
readily detected by those having been brought into
contact with it. In the male subject, there will be
experienced a feeling of numbness, as well as coldness, in the penis, scrotum, and perineum, indicating a want of nervous energy as well as arterial
activity. Only upon inquiry it will be ascertained
that occasionally the patient experiences a sort of
creeping or crawling sensation upon the skin,
usually over the anterior part of the chest, or upon
the outside of the thighs; and after interrogating
the patient, it is more than probable you may learn,
that repeated examinations have been instituted,
with the expectation of finding some vermin or
other upon the part, but the result, of course, did
not corroborate the validity of their suspicions.
Why this very peculiar yet distinguishing phenomenon obtains, science has thus far failed satisfactorily to determine.
Emaciation is usually present to a greater or less
extent; the friends of the patient will tell you that



SELF-ENERVATION.              25
moving of an eyelid, thus simulating St. Vitus'
dance. In this situation, the idea of a wretched
and loathsome condition takes supreme possession
of the patient's mind, and a consciousness is entertained that every body interprets the origin and
nature of his lamentable complaint, looking upon
him with derision and contempt. Indeed, he feels
as though excommunicated and ostracised by a
living world, shrinks under the weight of his manifold and heinous sins, and lastly, contemplates that
still greater sin, self-destruction.
As the end approaches, the patient becomes pale,
cadaverous; has cough; numerous transient pains,
together with impairment of vision, confusion of
the head, ringing in the ears, and lastly, the scene
closes with complete mental, moral, and physical
prostration.
Before closing this chapter, it may be as well to
remark, that ovaritis and nymphomania are not
infrequently observed as sequelae of masturbation
in the female; also, far more frequently, catalepsy
and epilepsy, to which, of course, males are equally
liable. These forms of difficulty, after a cessation
of the habit, may be successfully treated by reference to appropriate chapters in good works of our
literature on " Theory and Practice," where will
2



PATHOLOGY.
PATHIOLOGICAL conditions accompanying this form
of difficulty requiring our consideration, either visible or ascertainable through physical manipulation, constitute changes in the secretion of the testicles, vesiculae seminales, and prostate gland,
together with structural changes in the organs producing these secretions, which, when mingled
together, make up the reproductive or spermatic
fluid.
By subjecting the product of an emission to
microscopical examination, we shall discern some
of the spermatozoa to be amorphous or imper —
fectly developed, and others, though exhibiting the
general contour of natural development, will be
found to possess but a limited amount of vitality in
striking contrast with what is so commonly noticed
in the full and perfectly developed spermatic animalcule. Now it is fair to suppose from the condition in which these bodies are found, that their fertilizing capacity is either vastly diminished or
entirely destroyed. The peculiar manner in which
these spermatozoa undergo the change, or meta



SELF-ENERVATION.            39
During a visit recently paid to the Reform
School at Lansing, we were informed by the intelligent and obliging Superintendent of that establishment, that this crime is fearfully prevalent
amongst the juvenile offenders who are introduced
to his charge, requiring stringent and most energetic measures for its suppression.  The most
effectual means he has found hitherto to break up
the habit, is to retract the prepuce, and cover the
glans penis with common mustard.
Of all the methods now, or in time past, adopted
and most approved by the profession at large to
prevent the onanistic act, not one, so far as our
knowledge extends, has been sufficiently meritorious
in effecting uniform results, to have become known
as equal to every emergency, or to have been advised under any and all contingencies; nor do we
presume to offer the introduction of any suggestion
whereby this result can be attained; for a contemplation of the wide differences in patients, disparity
of temperaments, sex, and the like, would most
emphatically interdict or preclude any such attempt.
We are inclined to the opinion, however, that our
efforts would be crowned with far greater success,
and that more permanent benefit would accrue to



SELF-ENERVATION.              47
study are truly remedial agencies, inasmuch as the
brain, under these circumstances, affords a less per
centage of phosphorus to culminate upon that part
of the nervous system presiding over the sexual
instincts.
Books calculated to suggest amorous thoughts,
or engender lustful desires, we need scarcely say,
are exceedingly pernicious. No less objectionable
are the many obscene pictures and drawings upon
pocket cutlery, tobacco boxes, and in the private
albums of young men.
Social intercourse with refined and intellectual
persons, whether of the same or opposite sex, is
conducive of good results. As subjects of masturbation, under compunction of soul, shrink from
society through their consciousness of self-abasement, it becomes a pressing duty on the part of
doctor as well as friends to exercise every effort,
and afford every encouraging inducement for the
accomplishment of this benevolent purpose. The
physician should not hesitate, therefore, to converse
freely with parents and relatives about this matter,
urging them to exert an earnest, as well as combined influence for the patient's benefit.  Such
kind offices by relatives and friends will indirectly
afford patients an opportunity of recuperating



SELF-ENERVATION.             51
approximate the same, than any other method yet
disclosed to the profession.
CALADIUM.-The patient forgets every thing; is
demure and gloomy; the sexual organs are relaxed,
bloated, and sweaty; the penis at times becomes
painfully erected, with strong sexual dreams, and
then again the organ is relaxed even under sexual
excitement.  Premature ejaculation of semen.
The genitals are covered with a cold perspiration.
Attempts to prosecute mental labor followed by
fainting fits. The latter symptom is now and then
observed in females.
CALCAREA CARBONICA. —Patients are much exercised over their condition; fear future results;
fear of being crazy; can not think accurately.
Emissions are frequent and involuntary. Inefficient
erection during coition, and a burning or stinging
experienced during the discharge. Palpitation of
the heart at night; tremulousness, or a feeling of
such a condition, in or about the heart; weakness
and lameness of the arms and trembling of the
hands; perspiration of the palms; great weakness
and debility from slight exertion; nocturnal epilepsy, with vehement loquacity; fainting spells,
with loss of sight and consciousness; coldness of



SELF-ENERVATION.             55
drug and disease, upon which, in several cases, he
had anchored the strongest expectations of a curative result; and, although little doubt was entertained as to its theoretical specific adaptability
under the law, each result respectively arrived at
was any thing but satisfactory to himself. We offer
the suggestion-inasmuch as the doctor informs us
that low dilutions only were employed; that from
the fact the remedy so nearly or quite approximated the similimum, a logical conclusion would
seem to be that a more attenuated dose should have
been called into requisition.
The remedy, according to our experience, will
certainly prove curative in the following condition:
Complete prostration of the muscular system; the
patient says work is out of the question; the hands
are cold and sticky, emitting a strong odor, accompanied with coldness of the extremities generally;
disinclination to converse with any one; the patient
is obtuse and evinces no desire for books, and is
very melancholy; there seems to be a vacancy of
mind; patients, in spite of all efforts, fall asleep
during the day, becoming disturbed at this result;
the genitals are cold, not possessing their proper
tonicity; pain in the testicle extending to the groin;
agreeable or tickling sensation in the urethra