On spermatorrhoea : its pathology, results, and complications / by J.L. Milton.

  • Milton, J. L. (John Laws), 1820-1898.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On spermatorrhoea : its pathology, results, and complications / by J.L. Milton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    beyond what 1 have stated, and think that in both cases the powers of the constitution and the effects of reliable advice should first of all have a fair trial. Perhaps the reader does not sufficiently appreciate the courage I have shown in maintaining my position against so formidable an antagonist as Dr. Black, and therefore I will explain. This gentleman, though opposed to almost every person who has investigated the affections of which he treats, is an infallible authority on every part of the subject; and perhaps nevermore so than when contradicting himself, which he is somewhat apt to do. Whether “ musing on the banks of the hallowed Molendinar ” (p. 24), or “opining” on the cause of enuresis, there can be no appeal from his decisions. He has begun a righteous crusade against, not only the iniquity of persons like myself, but also “ the votaries of instrumental prostitution” (p. 228), “the fecula of quackery,” and “ senile imbecility.” While other writers either exaggerate or depreciate the importance of spermatorrhoea, he alone holds the golden mean. It is pleasing to reflect that, at a time when, according to Dr. Black, quackery and imposture of the worst class abound in every rank of the profession (pp. 67, 228, 273), except those shut up in garrets (p. 67), a man has arisen who is purity itself, and has the moral courage to proclaim that he is so. He alone can “reconcile morality with physiology” (p. 267), and the man who will not do so according to his method is “a fool,” “a bigot” or “a coward ” (301). To those who, like myself, have always believed that medical men are, with few exceptions, truthful and honourable; and that Scotchmen, while ever among the foremost in the ranks of science, are, considering their strong religious feelings, singularly free from the fault of affecting such high-flown immaculacy, and launching sermons and excommunications under the guise of professional works, and of imputing the worst motives to every person who may happen to differ from them, this sort of thing must be rather a surprise; whether it will be an agreeable one I leave it for them to say. Should any of my readers think I am unjustly assailing Dr. Black, I ask them to read his work ; and I don’t know that I can well wish it a worse fate than to be read by a person of common discernment. 2. Diurnal emissions, that is to say, emissions of semen, almost