rection, or tumescence
entirely, as a result of excess, either by masturbation or from
too frequent coitus; and on the part of the woman, many unfortunate
conditions are liable to arise. However, for reasons that have already
been stated, a woman who is strongly sexed, and of a pronounced
amorous nature, can maintain even great excess of sex exercise
without suffering such ill results as would befall a man who should so
indulge. That is, an excessively passionate wife can far sooner wear
the life out of a husband who is only moderately amorous, than can an
abnormally passionate husband wear out a moderately amorous wife.

But if the sex nature of the husband and wife are well cared for
during the years of active life, neither too much restrained or too
profusely exercised, the functioning power of the sex organs will
remain, even to old age, with all their pleasure-giving powers and
sensations intact. This is a wonderful physiological fact, which leads
to a conclusion, as follows:--

This fact of the staying qualities of the power of sex functioning,
even to old age, is the _supreme_ proof of the fact that sex, in the
human family, _serves a purpose other than reproduction_!

For, see! A woman loses the power to conceive when she reaches the
"turn of life," when her menses cease, that is, when she is between
forty and fifty years of age. And if pleasure in coition serves only
to induce her to engage in the act for the purpose of increasing the
probability of her becoming pregnant, if this is the _sole_ purpose
of desire for sex intercourse, such desire, such pleasure, _ought to
cease_ at that period of feminine life. _But this is by no means the
case_! If a wife is a normal woman, sexually, and has neither abused
her sex nature or had it abused, or neglected, and is a well woman,
she will enjoy coitus as much after she has passed her three score and
ten date in her life as she did before! She may not care to engage
in the act as frequently as in her younger days; but if she is well
courted by her old lover, all the joys of the former days are still
hers, to as great a degree as ever. And what is true of her is true
of her husband, if he is well preserved, as she is, has never abused
himself or been abused.

This is a reward of virtue, for old lovers, that pays a big premium on
righteous sex-action in earlier years! More than all, _it is a proof,
beyond all question, that the purpose of sex in humanity is something