ONAN ESCHEWED - Rick Grunder

elow (item 48), that copyright date is so blurred in the printing that one could
easily read it as "1848."
"Masturbation and Other Sexual Abuses," Chapter IX, pp. 321-89. Hollick begins
by celebrating the fact that masturbation can at last be discussed publicly,
although previous works have not gone into enough physiological analysis, he
says. He quotes extensively from ancient and current authors before launching
into his own commentary. He attributes a pathetically broad range of diseases to
self-abuse by the sufferer or by the parents, and his evidence is scattered and
anecdotal, as in most of the works in this collection.
"In a consultation for a young man who, among other diseases produced by
masturbation, was affected with weakness in the eyes, he says, 'I have seen
several instances of young men who, at mature age, when the body possesses all
its strength, were attacked, not only with severe pain and redness of the eyes, but
the sight became so feeble that they could neither read nor write.' . . ." [p. 326,
quoting "Hoffman"]
In the Massachusetts Report it is stated that 191 of the idiots examined were
known to have practiced masturbation, and in 19 of them the habit was even
countenanced by the parents or nurses!—116 of this number were males, and 75
females.—In 420 who were born idiots, 102 were addicted to masturbation, and
in 10 cases the idiocy of the children was "Manifestly attributable to self-abuse in
the parents!" These 10 known cases it should also be recollected justify the
conclusion that there are really many more, though not ascertained, and make it
clear that much of the idiocy found among children, both mental and moral, is
owing to sexual vice in the parents! [p. 341]
The effects of masturbation most frequently met with are weakness of the eyes,
swelling and soreness of the eyelids, partial deafness, weakness of the limbs and
back, headache, dizziness, flatulence, incontinence of urine, diarrhoea or
obstinate costiveness, palpitation of the heart, shortness of breath, loss of
memory, and confusion of judgment, with melancholy or irritable peevishness.
Another effect also met with in many cases, is a partial loss of the power of speech or
a tendency to stammer and stutter. This effect I have often observed in persons
who had previously spoken as fluently as any one, . . . hysteria of females . . .
Baldness is also a frequent occurrence to those who practise masturbation, and
so is premature whitening of the hair.
Palsy and Epilepsy are more frequently the results of this practise than is usually
thought, and Paralysis is quite commonly so. I have known many instances of
young men becoming temporarily paralytic from excessive self-abuse, . . .
[p. 347]
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