SEXUAL HYGIENE 145 



has this unfortunate tendency. He shows marked pref- 

 erences. You will see him single out one girl, and 

 evidently derive an unusual pleasure (for a boy) in 

 her society. His penchant does not take the ordinary 

 form of a boy's good nature, but little attentions that 

 are generally reserved for a later period prove that 

 his feeling is different and sadly premature. He may 

 be apparently healthy, and fond of playing with other 

 boys ; still, there are slight, but ominous, indications of 

 propensities fraught with danger to himself. His play 

 with the girl is different from his play with his broth- 

 ers. His kindness to her is a little too ardent. He 

 follows her, he does not know why. He fondles her 

 with a tenderness painfully suggestive of a vague 

 dawning of passion. No one can find fault with him. 

 He does nothing wrong. Parents and friends are de- 

 lighted at his gentleness and politeness, and not a little 

 amused at the early flirtation. If they were wise, they 

 would rather feel profound anxiety; and he would be 

 an unfaithful or unwise medical friend who did not, 

 if an opportunity occurred, warn them that such a boy, 

 unsuspicious and innocent as he is, ought to be care- 

 fully watched and removed from every influence cal- 

 culated to foster his abnormal propensities. 



* * The premature development of the sexual inclina- 

 tion is not alone repugnant to all we associate with the 

 term childhood, but is also fraught with danger to 

 dawning manliood. On the judicious treatment of a 

 case such as has been sketched, it probably depends 

 whether the dangerous propensity shall be so kept in 

 check as to preserve the boy's health and innocence, or 

 whether one more shattered constitution and wounded 

 conscience shall be added to the victims of sexual pre- 

 cocity and careless training. It ought not to be for- 



