hesia and impotence
may often be improved or even cured by suggestion. In such cases, if
the sexual appetite is otherwise normal, marriage need not always be
prohibited. Each case must be judged on its merits.

In sexual anaesthesia marriage is an error based on a grave
misconception. Even in partial anaesthesia it may have deplorable
effects. We are now only speaking of anaesthesia in man. Most young
virgins are anaesthetic in the sense that they are not acquainted with
the venereal orgasm and cannot tell how far their hitherto dormant
sexual appetite will develop. The sexual instruction which we have
recommended for young girls would have the advantage of making those
who are absolutely sexually frigid disgusted with marriage and coitus,
as soon as they know all about it.

The consequences of sexual anaesthesia are much more innocent in woman
than in man, because this anaesthesia neither prevents coitus nor
fecundation. A woman who is sexually anaesthetic may marry a man who is
affected with the same condition, when both parties are aware of the
fact and desire to contract a union which is hardly sexual, but rather
a union of minds with a common ideal. This is the true platonic love
which is admitted in theory. It is not very common and must not be
confounded with homosexual inclinations. It has its object of
existence, for those affected with anaesthesia may feel the want of
affection and of home, as well as sentimental communion. If they
desire children they can adopt them.

Unfortunately for themselves, the subjects of sexual anaesthesia have
as little idea of sexual sensations as a blind man has of colours;
this causes them to commit great blunders, because they do not
comprehend the nature of the sexual appetite in others, and often
marry an erotic individual without knowing what they are doing.

The special treatment of diseases of the male and female sexual
organs is beyond the scope of this book. I may, however, remark that
specialists are often wrong in treating the genital organs locally for
pathological symptoms which depend on cerebral disorder, which can
only yield to psychic treatment and suggestion. This is the case with
many disorders of menstruation in women, psychic impotence and
frequent seminal emissions in men, masturbation, etc., (except cases
due to phimosis, or local irritation caused by worms, etc.) I hasten
to add that this remark in no way excuses errors in the opposite
direction, viz,