movement in favour of the sexual enlightenment of young
persons renders indispensable the possession of precise knowledge of the
sexuality of the child; and such knowledge is no less necessary to all
instructors of youth, especially to those to whom the psychical life of
children is a matter of concern. Judges and magistrates also, as we
shall see in the seventh chapter, are very greatly interested in this
matter: it is, in fact, hardly open to question that erroneous legal
decisions and the unjust condemnation of reputed criminals can only be
avoided by giving our judicial authorities the opportunity of obtaining
sound knowledge concerning the sexual life of children in all its modes
of manifestation. By all these considerations I have been induced to
study the problem of the sexuality of children from the most widely
different points of view. Although other writers, such as Freud, Bell,
and Koetscher, have contributed certain data towards the solution of
these questions, no comprehensive study of the subject has hitherto been
attempted. My material does not consist only of the reports of patients.
In addition, in order to avoid a one-sided dependence upon pathological
considerations, I have accepted with greater confidence the reports
concerning the sexual life of children which I have received from
healthy individuals, both men and women. I take this opportunity of
tendering my most heartfelt thanks to all those who have assisted me in
this manner.

ALBERT MOLL.

CONTENTS
Page

INTRODUCTION v

PREFACE xi

CONTENTS xiii

CHAP.

I. INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL 1

Subdivisions of the Period of Childhood--The Notion of
Puberty--Methods of Investigation.

Rousseau and Tissot--The Philanthropes--Medical
Literature--The Older Psychology--History of
Civilisation--Studies of Prostitution--Works on
Zoology--Biographies--Belletristic Literature--Erotic
Literature--Studies of Sexual Perversions--Recent Special
Researches--Diaries.

II. THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS--THE SEXUAL IMPULSE 17

The Male Reproductive Organs--Erection--Ejaculation--The
Voluptuous Sensation--Female Reproductive
Organs--Menstruation and O