UNCHASTITY 289 



25. One very constant peculiarity of such children 

 is their extreme fondness for unnatural, hurtful, and 

 irritating foods. Nearly all are greatly attached to 

 salt, pepper, spices, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, mus- 

 tard, horseradish, and similar articles, and use them in 

 most inordinate quantities. A boy or girl who is con- 

 stantly eating cloves or cinnamon or who will eat salt 

 in quantities without other food, gives good occasion 

 for suspicion. 



26. Eating clay, slate-pencils, plaster, chalk, and 

 other indigestible articles is a practice to which girls 

 'who abuse themselves are especially addicted. The 

 habit sometimes becomes developed to such a wonder- 

 ful extent that tlie victims almost rival the clay-eaters 

 of the Amazon in gratifying their propensity. 



27. Disgust for simple food is one of the traits 

 which a victim of this vice is likely to possess. He 

 seems to loathe any food which is not rendered hot and 

 stimulating with spices and other condiments, and can- 

 not be induced to eat it. 



28. The use of tobacco is good presumptive evi- 

 dence that a boy is also addicted to a practice still more 

 filthy. Exceptions to this rule are very rare indeed, 

 if they exist, which we somewhat doubt. The same 

 influences which would lead a boy to the use of tobacco 

 would also lead him to solitary vice, and each sin would 

 serve to exaggerate the other. 



29. Unnatural paleness and colorless lips, unless 

 they can be otherwise accounted for, may be attributed 

 to secret sin. The face is a great tell-tale against this 

 class of sinners. Justice demands, however, that an 

 individual should be given the benefit of a doubt so 

 long as there is a chance for the production of these 



