the other hand, the feminine nature
was more than problematical. Menstruation was alleged to have occurred
but was not established with certainty, any more than an ovary or
uterus.

Much more frequent are inverted correlative sexual characters, such as
bearded women, men with breasts; also mental sexual inversions, of
which we shall speak later.

VENEREAL DISEASES[5]

We cannot give here a complete description of the venereal diseases,
which constitute a terrible evil for humanity, by bringing a great
deal of misfortunes and decadence into family and social life. Let us
first point out the common error which attributes to sexual excess the
evil effects which are really due to venereal disease. Although it may
be uncommon, one may be infected by these diseases after an innocent
kiss, a cut finger, by sitting on a privy contaminated by a person
suffering from venereal disease, by the use of contaminated linen,
etc., etc. A pachydermatous Don Juan, on the contrary, may abandon
himself to the wildest sexual excess without being infected, if he is
prudent and has good luck. On the other hand, young men may be
infected after having been with a prostitute only once in their lives,
and thus ruin their whole existence.

There are three kinds of venereal disease, which we will describe in a
few words. To these may be added certain parasites, such as crab-lice
and the itch, which are easily communicated by sexual intercourse with
infected persons, but also in other ways.

=Gonorrhea or Clap.=--This disease consists in a purulent inflammation
of the urethra caused by a microbe called the _gonococcus_. When
treated properly it may be cured in a few weeks, but very often the
inflammation becomes chronic and attacks the neighboring organs.
Chronic clap, or "morning-drop," may lead in the male to permanent
stricture of the urethra, which in turn may produce retention of
urine, catarrh of the bladder and disease of the kidneys, which may be
fatal. One attack of gonorrhea in no way protects against a second
infection, but rather predisposes to it, and when this disease becomes
chronic exacerbations or relapses of the acute stage often occur
without fresh infection.

In women the results of gonorrhea are, if possible, still worse than
in men, because it is more difficult to cure. A prostitute affected
with gonorrhea may infect an enormous number of men, and in this case
medical inspection of brothels is no guarantee. The gonoco