276 PLAIN FACTS FOE OLD AND YOUNG 



in whicli he can hope to atone, even in some small 

 degree, for such a heinous crime is by doing all 

 in his power to warn those in danger against this 

 sin. 



Sending children very early to bed before they are 

 weary, *'to get them out of the way," or for punish- 

 ment, is a grave error, as this may give rise to the 

 vice. Confining children alone in a room by them- 

 selves is an equally reprehensible practice, as it favors 

 the commission of the act, at least, and may afford a 

 favorable opportunity for its discovery. Allowing chil- 

 dren to form a habit of seeking solitude is an evil of 

 the same nature. 



Local Disease.— In the male, a tight or long fore- 

 skin is a frequent cause of the habit. The constant 

 contact of the prepuce with the most sensitive part of 

 the organ increases its sensibility. The secretion is 

 retained and accumulates, often becoming hardened. 

 In this manner, irritation is set up, which occasions 

 uncomfortable feelings, and attracts the hands to the 

 part. Owing to the great degree of excitement due to 

 irritation, but a slight provocation is necessary to 

 arouse voluptuous sensations, and then the terrible 

 secret is revealed. The child readily discovers how 

 to reproduce the same, and is not slow to commit 

 a frequent repetition of the act; and thus the habit 

 is formed. 



An Illustrative Case.— A case in which the vice 

 originated in this manner was recently under the 

 author's observation. The patient was a man of con- 

 siderable intellectual power and culture, but showed 

 unmistakable signs of his early indiscretion. He 

 stated that although he mingled quite freely with other 

 boys of his age, he obtained no knowledge of the habit 



