172 



The stream grows fuller and fouler as it flows ; the course 

 of immorality widens when a young man leaves his pa- 

 rent's home and lives at liberty alone. Enter the colle- 

 giate homes and furnished rooms in which our youug 

 students mostly live, - - how many suspicious medicine 

 bottles, and medical prescriptions of a certain sort you 

 will find hidden in drawers or lying out on window- 

 .sills ! 



The troubles of these young sinners are the sorer 

 from the extreme obstinacy of sexual diseases, and from 

 the powerfully noxious influence of such maladies on the 

 psychical nature of the sufterer. Cures are wearisome 

 and superficial in most cases, and the patient continues 

 in constant dread lest nature's scourge should leave some 

 outward mark drawing attention to his state. For the 

 future, the sinner promises himself he will be more 

 cautious. 



But this practical resolve remains a pious dream. 

 Drawn again into the hustle and bustle of life he soon 

 forgets his recent illness and his late resolve. Physical 

 symptoms reappear from time to time, but the doctor's 

 ointments clear them away, and the vicious course con- 

 tinues until destiny drives him into matrimonial toils. 

 I intentionally use the expression matrimonial toils, 

 because these late marriages are always the product of 

 some calculation and built upon protection, financial need, 

 inconvenient results of illegitimate intercourse, or resis- 

 tance on the part of the woman to illegitimate advances. 



At any-rate we will assume that the marriage has 

 taken place, and that relatives are expecting from it the 

 natural fruits of union a child. The period of preg- 

 nancy arrives in due course, and this, as is always the 

 case, produces vast excitement and interminable prepa- 

 rations: a whole dowry for an unborn bride, or full 

 accoutrements for a future hero. But lo ! one fine day 

 when no one is yet expecting the event, that event oc- 

 curs. Doctor and midwife are summoned in mad haste; 



