m to two dangers. If the husband remains continent
and sleeps in a separate room for too long a time, conjugal love may
become so cooled that a permanent barrier is established between man
and wife; if, on the other hand, he abandons himself to prostitution,
he may contract venereal disease and infect his wife. Again, the
husband may become enamored of another woman and wreck the happiness
of his family. The doctor who prohibits conjugal coitus thus takes a
great responsibility. For this and other reasons we have now an
important question to consider.

Opinions differ considerably as to the effects of sexual continence.
All extreme assertions are erroneous. It is quite certain that the
harmful effects of continence have been greatly exaggerated. Normal
persons of both sexes may remain continent, although not without some
trouble and discomfort. In a general way, we may accept the statement
that many morbid conditions are known to result from sexual excess,
but few from continence. This, however, goes a little too far, for
certain psychopaths and sexual hyperaesthetics often lapse into a state
of mental and nervous excitement from forced continence, so that their
neurosis becomes accentuated and may even end in insanity. I have seen
this occur both in men and women, but such cases are very rare.

Continence is not an easy matter for erotic individuals, and requires
a heroic internal struggle, especially in men. The Canadian reformer,
Chiniqui, whom we have previously quoted, relates the history of a
monk who tore off his testicles in despair at being unable to conquer
his violent sexual appetite.

The fine preachers of morality, endowed with a cold temperament, or
simply senile, who hold forth on the "immorality" of the consequences
of the sexual appetite, would do well to take such facts to heart.

We must not forget that among our brutal, yet human ancestors the
struggle for life demanded the cruel and wanton exposure or slaughter
of all weak and decrepit individuals, and that epidemic diseases,
plagues, and pests ravaged the peoples without mercy. Of course our
present civilization has put up a barrier against all this. Yet, for
that very reason the blind and thoughtless propagation of degenerate,
tainted, and enfeebled individuals is another atrocious danger to
society. But then the sexual appetite cannot be legislated out of
existence or killed by repressive measures.

Quite recently it has been scientifically