UNCHASTITY 361 



ity," he imagines it may suit his ease, and sends his 

 name. Return mail brings the book, which is a 

 wretched jargon of confusing terms and appalling de- 

 scriptions of the effects of self-abuse, with the most 

 shameful exaggerations of the significance of the most 

 trivial symptoms. The ignorant youth reads what he 

 supposes to be a description of his own case, and is 

 frightened nearly to death. He is most happily re- 

 lieved, however, to find that the generous publishers 

 of the book have a remedy which is just adapted to his 

 case, but which is so precious that it cannot be afforded 

 at less than $50 for a sufficient quantity to effect a 

 cure. He willingly parts with his hard-earned dollars, 

 and gets, in return, some filthy mixture that did not cost 

 a shilling. 



Another trap set is called an "Anatomical Mu- 

 seum. ' ' The anatomical part of the exhibition consists 

 chiefly of models and figures calculated to excite the 

 passions to the highest pitch. At stated intervals, the 

 proprietor, who is always a ''doctor," and by prefer- 

 ence a German, delivers lectures on the effects of mas- 

 turbation, in which he resorts to every device to excite 

 the fears and exaggerate the symptoms of his hear- 

 ers, who are mostly young men and boys. Thus he 

 prepares his victim, and when he once gets him within 

 his clutches, he does not let him go until he has robbed 

 him of his last dollar. 



We might present almost any number of illustra- 

 tions of the ways in which these human sharks pursue 

 their villainy. If there were a dungeon deep, dark, 

 and dismal enough for the punishment of such rascals, 

 we should feel strongly inclined to petition to have 

 them incarcerated in it. They defy all laws, civil as 

 well as moral, and are cunning enough to keep outside 

 22 ... 



