When the habit and its effects are of very short duration, a cure is very readily accomplished, especially in the cases of children and females, as i… - John Harvey Kellogg

While man regards his body as a harp of pleasure to be played upon so long as its strings can be made to vibrate, so long will he continue to travel down the hill of physical decadence and degeneration in spite of quarantine laws and the most minute sanitary regulations. But when he recognizes his divine origin and obligations, and himself as the crowning masterpiece of creation, his body a precious thing, to be sacredly preserved, developed, expanded, and purified for service for humanity in this world, and a never-ending opportunity for development and joyous existence in the world to come, then only will he begin to climb toward the heights from which he has fallen, where he may once more stand forth as the crowning glory of creation, the masterpiece of God, “the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals.”

Positive Signs.—The absolutely positive signs of solitary vice are very few. Of course the most certainly positive of all is detection in the act. Sometimes this is difficult, with such consummate cunning do the devotees of this Moloch pursue their debasing practice. If a child is noticed to seek a certain secluded spot with considerable regularity, he should be carefully followed and secretly watched, for several days in succession if needed be. Many children pursue the practice at night after retiring. If the suspected one is observed to become quickly quiet after retiring, and when looked at appears to be asleep, the bed clothes should be quickly thrown off under some pretense. If, in the case of a boy, the penis is found in a state of erection, with the hands near the genitals, he may certainly be treated as a masturbator without any error. If he is found in state of excitement, in connection with the other evidences, with a quickened circulation as indicated by the pulse, or in a state of perspiration, his guilt is certain, even though he may pretend to be asleep ; no doubt he has been addicted to the vice for a considerable time to have acquired so much cunning. If the same course is pursued with girls, under the same circumstances, the clitoris will be found congested, with the other genital organs, which will also be moist from increased secretion. Other conditions will be nearly as possible the same as those in the boy.

A daily bath is indispensable to health under almost all circumstances ; for patients of this lass, it is especially necessary. A general bath should be taken every morning immediately upon rising. General “cold bathing” is not good for any person, especially in thee morning, though some may tolerate it remarkably well, being of exceptionally hardy constitutions ; but the advice to try “cold bathing” often to sufferers from seminal weakness, is very pernicious, for most of them have been reduced so low vitality by their disease that they cannot endure such violent treatment. Sun baths, electric baths, spray, plunge, and other forms of bath, are of great value to those suffering from the effects of indiscretions.