f Parents--Abuse of the Sexual Function--False
Teachings--Criminal Neglect--Secure the Child's Confidence--The Best
Corrections--Marriage Relations._

Every individual should know how to care for the sexual organs as well
as those of any other part of the body, providing that the instruction
be given by the proper person and at the proper time and place. Such
information should be imparted to children by parents, guardians, or
physicians at an early age and, if this is neglected through ignorance
or false modesty, erroneous ideas of the nature and purpose of the
sexual function will very surely be supplied later by ignorant and
probably evil-minded persons with correspondingly bad results. There
is no other responsibility in the whole range of parental duties which
is so commonly shirked and with such deplorable consequences. When the
subject is shorn of the morbid and seductive mystery with which custom
has foolishly surrounded it in the past, and considered in the same
spirit with which we study the hygiene of the digestion and other
natural functions, it will be found possible to give instruction about
the sexual function in a natural way and without exciting unhealthy
and morbid curiosity.

A word in the beginning as to the harm produced by abuse of the sexual
function. The injury thus received is purposely magnified tenfold for
reasons of gain by quacks who work upon the fears of their victims for
their own selfish purposes. The voluntary exercise of the sexual
function--unlike that of any other important organs--is not necessary
to health until maturity has been reached; on the contrary, continence
is conducive to health, both physical and mental. Even after maturity,
unless marriage occurs, or by improper living the sexual desires are
unnaturally stimulated, it is quite possible to maintain perfect
health through life without exercising the sexual function at all.
Undue irritation of the sexual organs causes disorder of the nervous
system, and if continued it will result ultimately in overfatigue and
failure of the nervous activities which control the normal functions
of every organ in the body. In other words, it will result in nervous
exhaustion.

Damage is also wrought by exciting local irritation, congestion, and
inflammation of the sexual organs which result in impairment of the
proper functions of these parts and in local disorders and distress.
It is unnecessary further to particularize other than to