urnal_, Feb., 1887), and most men have
met with them at some time. When a woman of high moral character
and strong passions is subjected for a very long period to the
perpetual strain of such sexual craving, especially if combined
with love for a definite individual, a chain of evil results,
physical and moral, may be set up, and numerous distinguished
physicians have recorded such cases, which terminated at once in
complete recovery as soon as the passion was gratified. Lauvergne
long since described a case. A fairly typical case of this kind
was reported in detail by Brachet (_De l'Hypochondrie_, p. 69)
and embodied by Griesinger in his classic work on "Mental
Pathology." It concerned a healthy married lady, twenty-six years
old, having three children. A visiting acquaintance completely
gained her affections, but she strenuously resisted the seducing
influence, and concealed the violent passion that he had aroused
in her. Various serious symptoms, physical and mental, slowly
began to appear, and she developed what seemed to be signs of
consumption. Six months' stay in the south of France produced no
improvement, either in the bodily or mental symptoms. On
returning home she became still worse. Then she again met the
object of her passion, succumbed, abandoned her husband and
children, and fled with him. Six months later she was scarcely
recognizable; beauty, freshness and plumpness had taken the place
of emaciation; while the symptoms of consumption and all other
troubles had entirely disappeared. A somewhat similar case is
recorded by Camill Lederer, of Vienna (_Monatsschrift fuer
Harnkrankheiten und Sexuelle Hygiene_, 1906, Heft 3). A widow, a
few months after her husband's death, began to cough, with
symptoms of bronchial catarrh, but no definite signs of lung
disease. Treatment and change of climate proved entirely
unavailing to effect a cure. Two years later, as no signs of
disease had appeared in the lungs, though the symptoms continued,
she married again. Within a very few weeks all symptoms had
disappeared, and she was entirely fresh and well.

Numerous distinguished gynaecologists have recorded their belief
that sexual excitement is a remedy for various disorders of the
sexual system in women, and that abstinence is a cause of such
disorders. Matthews Duncan said