FECUNDATION. 333 



limits of legitimacy, after the unusual excitement of novelty 

 has passed ; second, when both the male and female are in 

 perfect health, and no undue degree of lassitude follows co- 

 itus, after a proper period of repose ; third, when there is no 

 marked diminution of sexual desire, except that which may 

 be accounted for by age ; fourth, when pregnancy occurs at 

 proper intervals, progresses normally, and is followed by the 

 normal period of lactation ; fifth, when menstruation is regu- 

 lar, and when there is a period, usually after the cessation of 

 the flow, during which there is unusual sexual excitement, 

 responded to by the male, and disappearing after the sexual 

 desires have been satisfied. It may be somewhat rare to find 

 these conditions fulfilled in all respects, as so few men and 

 women in civilized life are absolutely normal during adult 

 age, and as the sources of unnatural sexual excitement are so 

 numerous ; but they approximatively represent the physio- 

 logical performance of the generative functions in both sexes. 

 It is true that the female can frequently endure sexual ex- 

 cesses better than the male, because she is more passive and 

 may often not participate in the venereal excitement ; but if 

 we assume that intercourse is physiologically confined within 

 the limits fixed by social laws, the same rules as regards fre- 

 quency of the sexual act should apply to both. It is certain 

 that intercourse is not normal in the female during men- 

 struation or during the greater part of utero-gestation ; and, 

 at these times, it is physiological that the male should be 

 continent. Taking our view chiefly from what appear to 

 be the sexual requirements of the female, intercourse most 

 properly takes place at the time following the menstrual 

 flow when there is usually a certain amount of sexual excite- 

 ment, and this should not be immediately repeated, though 

 it may be physiological after a few days. As sexual excite- 

 ment is gratified and diminishes, intercourse, as far as the 

 desires of the female are concerned, is suspended, and it does 

 not take place to any great extent during pregnancy. This 

 seems to correspond with the normal progress of the genera- 



