Page:The Virile Powers of Superb Manhood.djvu/36

28 the institutions give an appalling catalogue of cases attributed to it."—Dr. Woodward.

Prostitution and intemperance may do much to demoralize and destroy the character and physique of young men, but unquestionably at the present day, masturbation causes more physical deterioration, more insanity, more tendency to crime, than any other one evil of this character. It takes boys when they are maturing, when the slightest influence effects them, we might say all through life, and literally vulgarizes, degrades and demoralizes them physically, mentally and sexually.

This terrible crime to civilization, to humanity, now being committed by the parents and teachers who ignore these subjects with such studied significance, cannot be too strongly condemned.

No nation has the slightest claim to true civilization when such crimes are daily and hourly perpetrated, without even the slightest effort being made to stop the terrible