jaculation, is generally dangerous. The possibility of danger resulting
from the practice is, however, increased by long-continued and
frequently repeated masturbation; also by the artificial postponement of
the voluptuous acme, and by congenital predisposition to nervous
disorders._ My notes of the cases which I have seen during many years of
medical practice show that, even in children, masturbation does not
necessarily do any harm.

CASE 15.--The girl X., four years of age, was brought to see me because
it had been noticed that she frequently tried to handle her genital
organs, and also that she stimulated the same organs by means of rubbing
movements of the crossed thighs. Her mother had further from time to
time noticed rocking movements, associated with a fixed stare, which had
aroused suspicions of the occurrence of the sexual orgasm. Various
methods were tried to put a stop to these practices, but without result.
Hypnotic treatment was not tried, because the child was still too young
and her attention wandered too much. Mechanical methods of control were
also fruitless. The trouble continued for five years, during all of
which time the child was under my own observation. She went to school,
where she proved a diligent scholar, and was one of the most successful
pupils; her physical condition was also excellent. Thenceforward, for
several years, I received no precise information about the patient,
although from time to time I saw some of her associates. But after about
eight years, I had an opportunity of learning her later history. The
child which had begun to masturbate when four years old was now a young
lady of eighteen. When fourteen years old she had for some months
suffered from chlorosis, but had never been troubled by any other
serious illness. I could not learn with certainty whether the habit of
masturbation had been discontinued; but there had been no definite
evidence of the practice of masturbation, or of any other artificial
sexual stimulation, after the age of nine. At the present time X. is
perfectly healthy.

CASE 16.--The boy Y. was brought to me when eight years old. It had been
noticed that at night, whether sleeping or waking, he very often handled
his genital organs. Erection of the penis had also been observed from
time to time. His mother and his governess believed that he masturbated
every night. When this had been going on for several years, the patient
was brought to me for suggestive