ion of the veins of the
epididymis. These are thin walled vessels that respond to any
increased internal blood pressure, perhaps showing a special tendency
in this direction during that period of rapid growth of the sexual
apparatus in the early part of the adolescent period. If the
enlargement is only moderate, it may disappear, or at least become
spontaneously arrested in its growth, in which case it need cause no
concern. If these veins, however, dilate until they form a
considerable mass, known as VARICOCELE, they may affect the sexual
apparatus deleteriously in two ways: (1) The increased weight in the
scrotal sac may cause the sac to become elongated and to annoy the
subject by its traction on the spermatic cord. This lengthened scrotum
with its contents may also be exposed to mechanical pressure or even
to injury from the clothing, etc., which would not occur if the
scrotal sac were short, holding the testes close to the body. (2) Of
far more importance is the danger of the varicocele gradually
encroaching by pressure upon the testis, perhaps to cause a partial
atrophy of that gland. This condition is a comparatively rare one, and
inasmuch as it seldom occurs in both testes, the possibility of
causing sterility on the part of a man is remote.

The extension of the scrotum and the "bearing-down" sensation may be
relieved through the wearing of a suspensory bandage. Such a bandage
may be obtained at any drug store or surgical instrument house, and if
properly fitted, will usually relieve any such discomfort as described
above. If the varicocele is quite large, the subject will do well to
consult a competent surgeon and to take his advice.

5. _Is the emptying of the seminal vesicles thru nocturnal emission a
universal phenomenon among continent men?_

The nocturnal emission is not a universal method of emptying the
seminal vesicles. Some continent men never have nocturnal emissions.
The reason may be sought in one of two directions: (1) The usual cause
of absence of nocturnal emissions is to be found in the fact that in
the man in question the seminal vesicles are periodically drained by
_involuntary diurnal emissions_, occurring usually when the
individual is at stool. These emissions are likely to occur once in
two to four weeks and take the place of the nocturnal emission. (2)
Rarely we find virile, continent men whose vesicular secretion is so
scanty that they are never conscious of its emission.

6. (a) _