unwholesome diet, habitual constipation, and especially the
unfortunate organic difficulty in his genital organs, produced an
almost constant priapism, which was only relieved, and then but
temporarily, by the act of pollution. His sedentary habits increased
the difficulty to an extreme degree.

In the meantime, his constitution, naturally weak, was being gradually
undermined. He suffered from constant headache, heart-burn, pains in
the back and limbs, weakness, and lassitude. Yet he attributed none
of these ailments to the true cause. After the lapse of three or four
years thus spent, and after repeated ineffectual attempts, by a
powerful effort of the will, by the aid of prayer, and by adopting a
more wholesome diet, he succeeded in getting the mastery of his vice.
But the local difficulties still continued in a great degree, and under
particularly aggravating circumstances occasioned a relapse at long
intervals. After a time, the local difficulties grew less and less,
and enabled him to gain a complete victory over the habit, though the
results of previous sin still remained, for which he desired treatment.

This case will serve as a fair illustration of many of similar character,
in which the child accidentally makes the discovery which leads him
to work his own ruin.

Other Physical Causes.--Constipation, piles, irritable bladder,
fissure of the anus, local uncleanliness, and pruritis of the genital
organs, will produce the habit in both males and females in the manner
described. Sleeping on feather beds increases the local congestion,
and thus favors the exciting influences of any of the above-named causes.
It may, perhaps, itself be the exciting cause.

We once treated a patient who was affected with stone in the bladder,
and who asserted that the constant irritation which he suffered in the
end of the penis was only relieved by friction. This might readily be
the cause of masturbation, though in this case the vice had been
acquired many years before, and was still continued in spite of all
efforts to reform.

Lying upon the back or upon the abdomen frequently leads to self-abuse
by provoking sexual excitement. Certain kinds of exercises, as climbing,
in particular, have been attended by the same results. It is said that
children sometimes experience genital excitement amounting to pleasure
as the result of whipping.

Influence of Stimulants.--The use of stimulants of any kind is a
fruitful cause of the v