Are We a Declining Race ? 



There is no other act which affects the nervous 

 system so much as the one in question. Dr. 

 Curschman (" Ziemsson's Cyclopedia ") says : 

 " It has been shown that the mischief does not 

 consist so much in the loss of semen ; by far the 

 most important influence of sexual excess is 

 upon the nervous system and upon nutrition. 

 The act of copulation, and those mechanical 

 irritations which have the like effect, are well 

 known to be connected with a very intense ex- 

 citement of the nervous system, which reaches its 

 highest point just before ejeculation, and ends by 

 the reflex discharge. Even in a state of health 

 the act is followed by a notable degree of relaxa- 

 tion, but, if repeated often, the physiological 

 effect becomes more enduring." This explains 

 why masturbation should be considered as the 

 principal cause of epilepsy. 



Turning to Sir Thos. Watson's " Lectures on 

 the Principles and Practice of Physic," Vol. II., 

 p. 651, we read : " There are certain vices which 

 are justly considered as influential and aggra- 

 vating, and even in creating a disposition to 

 epilepsy. Debauchery of all kinds, the habitual 

 indulgence in intoxicating liquors, and, above 

 all, the most powerful disposing cause of any, 

 not congenital, is masturbation a vice which 

 it is painful and difficult even to allude to in 

 this manner, and still more difficult to make the 

 subject of enquiry with a patient. But there is 

 too much reason to be certain that many cases 

 of epilepsy owe their origin to this wretched and 

 degrading habit ; and more than one or two 

 patients have voluntarily confessed to me their 



