SEXUAL HYGIENE
BY
KENELM WINSLOW
Health and Purity
Duties of Parents Abuse of the Sexual Function False Teachings Criminal Neglect Secure the Child’s Confidence The Best Corrections Marriage Relations.
Every individual should know how to care for the sexual organs as well as those of any other part of the body, providing that the instruction be given by the proper person and at the proper time and place. Such information should be imparted to children by parents, guardians, or physicians at an early age and, if this is neglected through ignorance or false modesty, erroneous ideas of the nature and purpose of the sexual function will very surely be supplied later by ignorant and probably evil minded persons with correspondingly bad results. There is no other responsibility in the whole range of parental duties which is so commonly shirked and with such deplorable consequences. When the subject is shorn of the morbid and seductive mystery with which custom has foolishly surrounded it in the past, and considered in the same spirit with which we study the hygiene of the digestion and other natural functions, it will be found possible to give instruction about the sexual function in a natural way and without exciting unhealthy and morbid curiosity.
A word in the beginning as to the harm produced by abuse of the sexual function. The injury thus received is purposely magnified tenfold for reasons of gain by quacks who work upon the fears of their victims for their own selfish purposes. The voluntary exercise of the sexual function unlike that of any other important organs is not necessary to health until maturity has been reached; on the contrary, continence is conducive to health, both physical and mental. Even after maturity, unless marriage occurs, or by improper living the sexual desires are unnaturally stimulated, it is quite possible to maintain perfect health through life without exercising the sexual function at all. Undue irritation of the sexual organs causes disorder of the nervous system, and if continued it will result ultimately in overfatigue and failure of the nervous activities which control the normal functions of every organ in the body. In other words, it will result in nervous exhaustion.
Damage is also wrought by exciting local irritation, congestion, and inflammation of the sexual organs which result in impairment of the proper functions of these parts and in local disorders and distress. It is unnecessary further to particularize other than to state that abuse of the sexual organs in the young is usually owing to the almost criminal neglect or ignorance of the child’s parents. But so far from increasing alarm in the patient it is almost always possible to enable the child to be rid of the habit by kindly instruction and judicious oversight in the future, and no serious permanent local damage to the sexual organs or general injury to the nervous system will be likely to persist. The opposite teaching is that peculiar to the quack who prophesies every imaginable evil, from complete loss of sexual function to insanity. Any real or fancied disorder of the sexual function is extremely apt to lead to much mental anxiety and depression, so that a cheerful outlook is essential in inspiring effort to correct bad habits and is wholly warranted in view of the entire recovery in most cases of the young who have abused their sexual organs. Insanity or imbecility are seldom the result but more often the cause of such habits. It is a sad fact, however, that, under the prevailing custom of failure of the parents to exercise proper supervision over the sexual function of their children, self abuse is generally practiced in youth, at least by boys.
This often leads to temporary physical and mental suffering and is very prejudicial to the morals, but does not commonly result in permanent injury except in the degenerate. Children at an early age three to four years should be taught not to touch, handle, rub, or irritate their sexual organs in any way whatsoever except so far as is necessary in urination or in the course of the daily cleansing. If there seems to be any inclination to do so it will usually be found that it is due to some local trouble to which a physician’s attention should be called and which may generally be readily remedied by him. It is always advisable to ask the medical adviser to examine babies for any existing trouble and abnormality of the sexual organs, as a tight, adherent, or elongated foreskin in boys and rarely a corresponding condition in girls may give rise to much local irritation and remote nervous disturbances. The presence of worms may lead to irritation in the bowel, which excites masturbation in children. Girl babies should be watched to prevent them from irritating the external sexual parts by rubbing them between the inner surfaces of the thighs. As the child begins to play with other children he or she should be cautioned to avoid those who in any way try to thwart the parents’ advice, and be instructed to report all such occurrences. It is wise also to try and gratify the child’s natural curiosity about the sexual function so far as may be judicious by explanations as to the purpose of the sexual organs, when the child is old enough to comprehend such matters.
The reticence and disinclination of parents to instruct their children in matters relating to sex cannot be too strongly condemned. It is perfectly natural that the youth should wish to know something of the origin of life and how human beings come into the world. The mystery and concealment thrown around these matters only serve to stimulate his curiosity. It is a habit of most parents to rebuke any questions relating to this subject as improper and immodest, and the first lesson the child learns is to associate the idea of shame with the sexual organs; and, since he is not enlightened by his natural instructors, he picks up his knowledge of the sex function in a haphazard way from older and often depraved companions.
Evasive replies with the intent of staving off the dreaded explanation do no good and may result in unexpected evil. By securing the child’s confidence at the start, one may not only keep informed of his actions but protect him from seeking or even listening to bad counsels. At the age of ten or twelve it is well that the family physician or parent should give instruction as to the special harm which results from unnaturally exciting the sexual nature by handling and stimulating the sexual organs and also warning the child against filthy literature and improper companions. At the age of puberty he should be warned against the moral and physical dangers of sexual intercourse with lewd women. The physical dangers refer to the great possibility of infection with one or both of the common diseases syphilis and gonorrhea acquired by sexual contact with one suffering from these terrible disorders. It is usually quite impossible for a layman to detect the presence of these diseases in others, or rather, to be sure of their absence, and the permanent damage which may be wrought to the sufferer and to others with whom he may have sexual relations is incalculable. It is generally known that syphilis is a disease to be dreaded, but not perhaps that it not only endangers the life and happiness of the patient, but the future generation of his descendants. Gonorrhea the much more common disease while often treated lightly by youth, frequently leads to long, chronic, local disease and may even result fatally in death; later in life it may cause infection of a wife resulting in chronic invalidism and necessitating surgical removal of her maternal organs. These possibilities often occur long after the patient thinks he is wholly free from the disease. Gonorrhea in women is the most frequent cause of their sterility, and also is a common source of abortion and premature birth. It is the cause in most cases of blindness in infants and also of vulvo vaginitis in girl babies. Furthermore, gonorrhea is so alarmingly prevalent that it is stated on good authority that the disease occurs in eighty per cent of all males some time during their lives. The disease is not confined to prostitutes, but is common, much more frequently than is suspected, in all walks and classes of life and at all ages. Even among boys attending boarding schools and similar institutions the disease is only too frequent. It is particularly important that the true situation be explained to boys about to enter college or a business career, for it is at this period of life that their temptations become greatest. Alcohol is the most dangerous foe next to bad companions with which they must contend in this matter, for, weakened by its influence and associated with persuasive friends, their will gives way and the advice and warning, which they may have received, are forgotten. Idleness is also another influential factor in indirectly causing sexual disease; hard physical and mental work are powerful correctives of the passions.
It may be of interest to readers to know that but recently an association of American physicians, alarmed by the fearful prevalence of sexual diseases in this country, has been taking measures to inform youths and adults and the general public, through special instruction in schools, and by means of pamphlets and lectures to teachers and others, of the prevalence and great danger of this evil.
When young adult life has been attained it is also desirable for the parent, or the family physician, to inform the young man or woman especially if either is about to enter a marriage engagement that close and frequent personal contact with the opposite sex, especially when the affections are involved, will necessarily, though involuntarily, excite local stimulation of the sexual organs and general irritability and exhaustion of the entire nervous system. Long engagements when the participants are frequent companions are thus peculiarly unfortunate. It is only when the sexual functions are normally exercised in adult life, as in sexual intercourse, that sexual excitement is not harmful.
Young women about to marry should receive instruction from their mothers as to the sexual relations which will exist after marriage. Most girls are allowed to grow up ignorant of such matters and in consequence may become greatly shocked and even disgusted by the sexual relations in marriage fancying that there must be something unnatural and wrong about them because the subject was avoided by those responsible for their welfare.
Any excess in frequency of sexual intercourse after marriage is followed by feelings of depression and debility of some sort which may be readily attributed to the cause and so corrected. Any deviation from the natural mode of intercourse is pretty certain to lead to physical disaster; thus, unnatural prolongation of the act, or withdrawal on the part of the man before the natural completion of the act in order to prevent conception, often results in deplorable nervous disorders.
In conclusion, it may be said that parents must take upon themselves the burden of instructing their children in sexual hygiene or shift it upon the shoulders of the family physician, who can undertake it with much less mental perturbation and with more intelligence. Otherwise they subject their offspring to the possibility of incalculable suffering, disease, and even death largely through their own inexcusable neglect.