an he expect to
develop his powers, physically or intellectually to the highest
possible degree if he permits himself to contract that habit
[masturbation] which, step by step, undermines his development. There
is open to the young man only one of the three alternatives mentioned
above, i.e., TO LEAD THE "CONTINENT LIFE."

The continent life is a goal which every healthy young man should
strive to reach. To arrive at a goal that is before us and above us
requires sacrifice and brings compensation. The sacrifice takes the
form of the exertion of the whole will power of the man and the
painstaking observance of those rules of hygiene which make continent
living more easily attainable. The compensations of continence are
those that come from the assurance that the young man has of his
virility, of his worthiness to take the hand of a pure wife in
wedlock, of the consciousness of his ability to establish and maintain
a home, and to protect this home against all dangers.

CHAPTER V.

HYGIENE.

HYGIENE.

It is proposed in this chapter to outline, very briefly, a few simple
rules of hygiene, the observance of which will tend to bring the young
man into the highest possible state of physical development. Assuming
that he wishes to lead a continent life, the observance of these rules
will make that much desired condition more easily attainable.

1. DIET.

a. =Choice of Food.=--The young man who is boarding at a restaurant or
in a boarding club can modify his diet only within the range of the
menu provided. Fortunately, the young man can observe the most
important rule of diet, i.e., _to eat abstemiously_. Wherever one is
boarding he can eat temperately; he can avoid highly spiced foods, tea
and coffee. The observance of these simple rules will go a long way
towards simplifying his sexual problem. It has been discovered by the
study of the influence of diet upon sexual appetite, that the heavy
eating of rich and highly spiced foods, indulgence in stimulants and
narcotics, all tend to excite the sexual desires.

The author presents a menu that would be looked upon as a temperate
one for a student:

Breakfast.

Fruit
Well cooked cereal breakfast food with cream or a slice of bacon, an
egg, with bread and butter
Glass of milk, cocoa or cereal coffee

Dinner.

Soup
Meat, potatoes and gravy
One vegetable
Dessert:
(Custards, tapioca pudding, rice pudding, gelatin pudding or bread
pudding)
Water