A CHAPTER FOR OLD MEN 433 



pas qui coute; and he who launches himself on such 

 a course will acquire, as he goes, velocity and force, 

 until at last he cannot he stayed." 



From quite extensive observation, the author has 

 no doubt that a large number of the inconveniences of 

 advanced age, mental and physical, as well as numer- 

 ous local difficulties, including bladder disorders and 

 irritability of the prostate, etc., are frequently the re- 

 sult of sexual excesses, not only during middle life, 

 but continued during advanced years. The following 

 incident speaks for itself: 



A Case in Point.— Some time ago a man of some 

 prominence in the legal profession sought an interview 

 with the author. An hour was fixed, and at the time 

 appointed he presented himself at the office, and after 

 a few preliminary remarks, made the following state- 

 ment : "I have been a man of great physical vigor, and 

 for many years have devoted myself with great ear- 

 nestness to my profession, and with most satisfactory 

 results. I have suffered very little from bodily infir- 

 mities of any sort, until a few years back. Some four or 

 five years ago I began to experience discomfort in the 

 region of what I supposed to be the neck of the blad- 

 der, requiring me to relieve the bladder very fre- 

 quently, both during the daytime and in the night. I 

 sought relief by various means, but unsuccessfully, and 

 had come to the belief that I was suffering with some 

 serious disease of the bladder or the prostate. Reme- 

 dies addressed to these organs did no good. I obtained 

 a copy of one of your works [an early edition of this 

 work], and found out the cause of my troubles. I am 

 now between fifty and sixty years of age. From mere 

 force of habit, I had continued indulging myself sexu- 

 ally as in early life, never thinking of the possibility of 



