ies. A too common practice in many families is to allow
a little wine at dinner "to assist digestion!" Others allow coffee or
tea, "because my child is so fond of it." "The after-effects of all
these is to disturb the heart, to cause nervousness and irritability,
and _to weaken the sexual organs in a marked degree_. Tobacco
particularly has this last effect in old and young, besides producing
convulsions, a dulled intellect, etc."[D]

[D] Lallemand and Wilson.

Remember where the brain is and the purposes for which it has been
given! Here reside the knowledge and the power to govern all below it.
No matter what the stomach craves or how strongly the appetite begs for
this or that; no matter how much one may be tempted to steal, to lie or
to swear; no matter how much the sexual organs may lead one to think
about or handle them--here is the great and good brain, the home of the
will-power, which says: "Touch not, taste not, handle not." So long as
these commands are listened to and obeyed, one is safe. The desire need
not and should not control the act--but the rational faculty can and
will control, when early taught to do so. The more one is led by this
rational faculty the easier it becomes to follow it, and _vice versa_.

What has been said above regarding the danger of little boys falling
into bad habits applies with equal force to little girls. Do not forget
this. They too may have sexual thoughts, feelings and curiosity, and
care must be taken to keep their minds pure and bodies healthy. They are
also liable to disorders that require prompt and careful attention, such
as inflammations, excoriations, itchings and swellings of the genital
organs with discharges from these parts resembling leucorrhoea. All such
conditions lead them to more or less rub and scratch these parts--which
should never be touched--for relief. Pleasurable sensations are
experienced and then comes masturbation--_a sin chargeable to the
parent_ for not having given the matter proper medical attention.
"Repeated washings" will no more cure these cases in little girls than,
as shown above, will they cure in little boys. All these are but the
outcropping of some constitutional affection and should be treated
accordingly. No applications or medicated washings of any kind should be
allowed. Such external treatment only palliates the suffering for a
little while without removing the disordered vital force that gave
origin to its appearance. This is