The influence of the act of venery is much more injurious, when the causes which we have mentioned, and generally all those which may impair the constitution, have affected it to a greater or less degree. Diseases of long duration, if badly treated, excesses and the causes mentioned above may bring the system to such a state, that enjoyments even if seldom indulged in, may produce great suffering and disease. Venereal excesses may also create predispositions and change them as well as those which have a different origin into other morbid affections.
It is well known that the venereal desires do not generally exist, except the person be in a state of health. The same may be said too of the generative power, if we may judge from Haller’s remark that the spermatic animalculæ disappear during disease. It is ascertained that the number of conceptions is in a direct ratio with the degree of health enjoyed by a people; they increase in a healthy season, and diminish in an unhealthy season. This fact is established by the researches of Villermé in regard to the births and deaths in France, Italy, England and Belgium, and also in regard to the marshy parts of France at different periods of the year, (_Ann. d’hyg. publ._, _January_, 1831.) Thus then the genital sense, like that of hunger, and probably the power of procreating, like that of digesting, is most generally suspended during disease. Is not this one of the many warnings of the organization, as to the preservative power?
It is true however that individuals indulge in coition and masturbation although even in an advanced state of disease. This is most frequently seen in onanists. “I have seen,” says Pinel, “a person affected with a dynamic fever who was entirely exhausted, and yet his passion for onanism was so powerful, that on the sixth day of the disease he still attempted to excite his organs, although death was coming upon him.” Similar cases have been witnessed by every practitioner, which we shall mention in the course of this work. Thus then even a severe disease does not entirely prevent the act of venery. Let us now inquire what is the effect when such people indulge. It must be admitted that this indulgence is at least useless, except in very rare cases, where continence is the cause of sickness. Strictly speaking, this may be the case in certain chronic affections and in some few individuals, but it is rare. The power of the act of venery is so great, and the diseased organs are generally so sensitive to the impressions made on the economy, that if there are apparently some diseases which seem unaffected by this act, it is because the modification which they experience escapes observation. We may then state as a general rule that if the act of venery be indulged in by sick people, it is injurious and generally to a great degree. How great is the injury when the disease is caused by venereal indulgences.