The importance of separating the sexes in schools can be seen from the preceding remarks: this is done in many institutions, and should be practised in all. The rod, too, should also be excluded from families, and physicians should explain to families the double danger of a loss of modesty, and of exciting the senses.
Certain articles of clothing may excite the skin, cause an itching, and thus produce effects similar to those of flagellation. Haircloth and sackcloth, with which some orders of monks are now clothed, have contributed, it is said, together with the mode of life to that reputation for incontinence possessed by some orders of friars. A want of cleanliness has also had the same effect. Be this true or not, it is wise to avoid the use of flannels next the skin, particularly in young patients, and around the pelvis. Hence woollen pantaloons should always be lined. The importance of keeping the sexual organs clean, has already been pointed out; the same remarks apply to the whole body.
This cleanliness must be maintained by lotions and baths. The former ought generally to be cold: this rule is seldom contra-indicated. As to baths, we would remark that hot baths ought seldom to be prescribed for onanists and for young persons generally, because of the excitement which they cause. Tepid baths should also be used with care, as they render one susceptible and delicate. Cold baths ought always then to be preferred, when the season and health of the patients permit. There are other rules to be mentioned hereafter.
The venereal appetite may be much modified by food and drinks. This passion and the excesses with which it is attended may be connected with the diet used. Hence when we attempt to cure a young person of onanism a good selection of food and drink is very essential. It is therefore important to state the dietetic conditions by which the venereal appetite is excited or depressed.
_Sine cerere et Baccho friget Venus_ is an old proverb, which however is too obsolete. Generally speaking abundance of good food is more favorable to venereal desires than a contrary mode of diet. This may be seen on a large scale by comparing years of plenty with those of scarcity. We can then remark how injurious periods of public distress are to the procreative power. This has long been observed, but has now been demonstrated beyond a doubt, by the patient researches of Villermé. He has ascertained from several statistical tables of population in France, that at the period of the revolution when the duty was removed from wine, salt, &c., when the laborers found themselves unusually prosperous, when they indulged in feasts and celebrations, in short, lived better, the number of births evidently increased. Eleven tables were examined by Villermé, and to this remark--he found but one exception. On the contrary, when the diet of the people is poor and insufficient, the number of conceptions diminishes and never resumes its level till abundance is restored. It would even seem that after the period of scarcity has passed away, it still continues to exercise an extraordinary degree of energy.