ONAN ESCHEWED - Rick Grunder

{ ONAN ESCHEWED }
A
MONG THE PLEASURES AND PROCLIVITIES of humankind, what practice could
be more universal (and hopelessly irresistible) —than the desire to collect?
This beginner's accumulation of anti-masturbation literature began innocently
enough some quarter-century ago, but now threatens to become an obsession.
Before its gets out of control, therefore, I have resolved to take the matter in hand
and disseminate these things to a few sympathetic collectors, institutions and
other friends who will give them a more permanent home.
Particular thanks must go to bookseller friend IAN JACKSON (Berkeley, California)
who not only indulged - but actually encouraged - me in the reckless pursuit of
this little hobby by calling to attention choice items offered by other dealers at
home and abroad. He sent more than one generous gift to add to the collection,
as did a few other (sometimes amused) colleagues whom I credit in the individual
entries that follow.
– Enjoy, partake; blush not.
1 ABBEY, Dr. E. C. [TRADE CARD, advertising:] The Sexual System and Its
Derangements, greatly enlarged and improved . . . Agents wanted. Dr. E. C. Abbey,
Buffalo, N. Y. Card copyright by E. C. Abbey, M.D., 1882.
Illustrated card printed on both sides, 8 X 13½ cm. Nearly fine. $20
Part of a series of cards with hidden pictures of animals worked into the
illustration, this one entitled, "Toll Gate No. 3." Verso advertises two works by
Dr. Abbey, the one named above treating, among many other things, ". . . the
cause of nervous and sexual debility, . . . inability to reason or concentrate the
mind or meet the gaze of others . . . " and all the other familiar "symptoms" of
masturbation supposedly recognized during that period. The book will avoid
any false modesty, so "that evils may be averted, health preserved, and lives
saved." "500,000 copies sold."
The ONLINE COMPUTER LIBRARY CENTER (world's largest bibliographic database,
combining cataloging records from libraries worldwide; hereafter, OCLC) shows
three editions of the above-promoted work, all published at Buffalo, 1875, '79,
and '84, but locating only one copy of each - all of them at the Edward G. Miner
Library, UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER, Rochester, New York
(hereafter, URMC).
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