felt in the inside-around the liver and the loins, and a slight pain at the breast. I have constant fits of gloomy despondency, weakness of the lower limbs, a want of energy and determination to act. I have suffered these symptoms for five or six years, or more, in the hope that a cessation would take place, but in vain, for the case has become worse. If you can assist me, for mercy's sake do not withhold your aid."

[53] "My age is 22, and occupation that of a bookkeeper for the last six years I have been gradually getting worse. I experience the following symptoms in the extreme-Impatience, irritability, irresolution, excitement, ennui, rambling thoughts, fear, weakness, recklessness, &c., &c. ; in consequence of which I have no interest in any thing, and cannot mix in society, as I feel the most disagreeable sensations in the presence of strangers, which renders life a misery."

[781] "I am frequently affected with a dull aching pain, as if proceeding from the neck of the bladder, with a frequent inclination to void urine, and then only in small quantities. I have occasional nocturnal emissions, causing a prostration of the parts, which are diminished in size, and for days after an emission, the most excruciating pain is felt before and after voiding urine.”

[17] “I ascribe my bad health to self-abuse, which I had the misfortune to learn to practise at school, and though I have entirely given it up, I find my health has suffered by it. I at one time was much troubled with nocturnal emissions, but for some time they have not been so frequent-perhaps once in the course of three weeks, but I find that when I have intercourse with the female

sex, the emission is too quickly discharged. I am 35 years of age."

66

[413] My health has greatly suffered from this ruinous practice: the symptoms under which I labour are as follow,-excessive debility, frequent discharges of semen, occasioned by the least bodily exertion, nervous trembling of the hands, which often disables me from using the pen-melancholy. I likewise suffer from a fixed heat in the lower part of the body, between the thighs, and a retention of urine, which has lately become of a very dark colour and of a very bad smell, it also seems to contain matter."

[63] "I continued for two years, or perhaps a little longer, without knowing the baneful effects it would produce, until one night I had been trying to have connexion with a female, but could not accomplish my object, on account of the parts being weak and languid. ***** After making water, a sort of semen comes from me; I constantly feel a deadness of the private parts; the testicles move about in the scrotum as if in a state of agitation; the organ is small and shrivelled up. I can eat well, but feel very weak and nervous, and my breathings are short; I feel a weakness and coldness over the small of my back. ***** If you can replace me in the lost scale of society, I shall be the happiest of men; for I can assure you it engrosses my whole thought, to think what a fiend I have been to destroy my health. I have been in this state seventeen or eighteen years."

[563] "In my temper I am peevish and discontented; I am languid and powerless; my appetite is

sharp; a dizziness in my head completely stupifies me; I am very thin and weak in my person, my voice is often so weak that I cannot speak a plain word. Altogether I am miserable and unhappy."

[72] "The symptoms are pain in the back and loins, constantly furred tongue, weakness in the legs and feet, headache and dulness of sight, involuntary blushings, and often an unnatural heat pervades my whole frame, and then an icy chilliness follows; I have also profuse, unpleasant-smelling perspiration under the arm-pits and back part of my thighs, from the least work or walk. My genital organs are much smaller than they used

to be."

[43] Pains in the testicles and loins, a starchy discharge after each stool, neither ability nor desire to perform my duties as a married man. A constant beating at the pit of my stomach, with pain; a constant desire to make water. After stool, a burning as though a hot poker was in my fundament; a violent palpitation of my heart, with trembling; violent pains of my head, as though some one was squeezing my brain. A constant choking in my throat, very great weakness, with violent shivering fits, like cold water running about my inside. I feel as though all my inside was gone; I am sore all over me, as though I had been pinched; soreness of my chest; all my bones crack like breaking of sticks. * * * Do you think my age will prevent my recovery, I am 47. Is there any change in man's constitution at this age, the same as in woman?"

[601] "I am a married man 37 years of age. When young, I fell into the snare which has been the ruin of

many-excessive indulgence-it has ended in what I am afraid is seminal weakness. The left testicle is very much relaxed, with dilated veins, and is in continual pain. I have little inclination for sexual intercourse, yet when at stool there is a constant discharge from the urethra."

[97] "I contracted a bad habit in my youth, and am now feeling the effects of it most bitterly. I am 35 years of age, generally healthy, but subject to involuntary emissions, and the seminal fluid is continually passing away from me without any sensation. I have tried almost every thing, but I do not get any better. My mind is as bad as my body. I sometimes think I shall be sent to an asylum. I feel no pleasure in company at home or abroad. If I go into the society of females, the seminal fluid keeps oozing out of the urethra, so that life is almost a burthen to me."

[91] Age now 36. In my youth I was given to self-abuse, which has brought on a great degree of weakness. I take my meals well, and enjoy them, but do not derive any nourishment from what I eat. I frequently want to void water in a hurried manner, and there is a dripping of water for some time after, and always a slight discharge of seminal fluid, on going to stool. I am very much troubled with wind on the stomach, and the head is a good deal affected, causing great drowsiness."

[64] "I caught this habit during the latter part of my school-days, and from a minister's son; I was then about 14 years of age, and being naturally of a retired disposition, this filthy, stupid practice suited my (soon)

depraved taste. present state are weakness of the whole frame; I am tired by walking three or four miles. Great weakness of sight, accompanied with dimness. I am troubled with drowziness in the middle of the day, especially if in-doors. ***** And now for the last, and I fear the worst, part-it is the constant draining, which I am afraid has been carried on for years past, of the seminal fluid; though I have not been troubled with nightly pollutions that I am aware of, nevertheless I have constant emissions when at stool, and sometimes they leave me in a state as though I were fainting away. The other day I made water in a large tumbler, and after it settled, I could see a white mass hanging in the middle of the `vessel like a bunch of grapes, though it was but thin. I am now 37."

**** The chief features of my

[861] "I contracted gonorrhoea two years and a half ago; a gleet was left behind, which, after a short time, left me. I have now, when urinating, a discharge of seminal fluid, which comes away with a tingling sensation, and when, as I suppose, I have emptied the bladder, there appears about a drop of what I conceive to be seminal fluid. I was never given to the practice of selfpollution, or I would say that to be the cause."

[651] 66 ****** About 18 months since I became convinced it was the cause of all my suffering, and since then I have refrained. I have involuntary emissions about twice a week; I am troubled daily with the backache, and very often with the headache, and always a singing noise in my ears. I am also very nervous and timid; I have a bad stomach and cold feet. I am 29 years old, and of slender make."