DISEASES PECULIAR TO MEN 653 



cose condition of the lower extremities, such as long 

 standing upon the feet, or excessive walking. A very 

 common cause is straining at stool. The disease is 

 probably most frequent in those who have been ad- 

 dicted to self -abuse and other sexual excesses, though 

 it is by no means confined to this class. Varicocele 

 occurs most frequently on the left side, which is prob- 

 ably due to the absence of valves in the left spermatic 

 vein. 



The palliative treatment of this disorder consists 

 in frequent bathing of the parts in cold water, and 

 wearing a proper suspensory bandage to support the 

 scrotum and its contents. The only radical method of 

 cure consists in ligation of the spermatic veins. The 

 old method of doing this operation was somewhat 

 hazardous, and only justifiable in severe cases ; but the 

 improved methods now used are free from danger, and 

 may be performed without the aid of an anesthetic, 

 and without occasioning any great degree of pain. 



Impotence.— Almost the sole cause of impotence is 

 sexual excess of some kind, and the disease is in a 

 great number of cases the result of self-abuse and un- 

 natural coitus. The first symptom of approaching 

 impotence is too early ejaculation, which is soon fol- 

 lowed by loss of sexual power. The primary cause of 

 the disease is exhaustion of the nerve centers which 

 control the sexual organs. In a great share of these 

 cases, nocturnal losses, or true spermatorrhea, is pres- 

 ent with all the accompanying s\anptoms of this dis- 

 order, particularly an irritable condition of the ure- 

 thra. 



Treatment.— The majority of cases of impotence 

 which have not been seriously mistreated, may be re- 

 lieved, if they have not existed for too great a length 



