300 PLAIN FACTS FOR OLD AND YOUNG 



rary continence from any cause. It also occurs in 

 those addicted to mental uncliasity, though they may 

 be physically continent. It is not probable that it 

 would ever occur in a person who had been strictly con- 

 tinent, and had not allowed his mind to dwell upon 

 libidinous imaginations. 



Exciting Causes.— The exciting causes which serve 

 to perpetuate this difficulty are chiefly two; viz., local 

 irritation and lewd thoughts. 



The first cause is usually chiefly located in the ure- 

 thra, and especially at the mouths of the ejaculatory 

 ducts. Distention of the seminal vesicles, with a 

 superabundance of seminal fluid, also acts as a source 

 of irritation. Constipation, worms, and piles have 

 an irritating influence, which is often very seriously 

 felt. 



Unchaste thoughts act detrimentally in a twofold 

 way. They first stimulate the activity of the testes, 

 thus increasing the overloading of the seminal vesicles. 

 Lascivious thoughts during wakefulness are the chief 

 cause of lascivious dreams. 



Emissions do not usually occur during the sound- 

 est sleep, but during that condition which may be char- 

 acterized as dozing, which is most often indulged early 

 in the morning after the soundest sleep is passed. This 

 fact has an important bearing upon treatment, as will 

 be seen hereafter. 



At first, the emissions are always accompanied by 

 dreams, the patient usually awaking immediately after- 

 ward ; but after a time they take place without dreams 

 and without awaking him, and are unaccompanied by 

 sensation. This denotes an advanced stage of the com- 

 plaint. 



Certain circumstances greatly increase the fre- 



