The philosophy of marriage, in its social, moral, and physical relations : with an account of the diseases of the genito-urinary organs, which impair or destroy the reproductive function and induce a variety of complaints : with the physiology of generation in the vegetable and animal kingdoms : being part of a course of obstetric lectures delivered at the North London School of Medicine, Charlotte Street, Bloomsbury, Bedford Square / by Michael Ryan.

  • Ryan, Michael, 1800-1840.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The philosophy of marriage, in its social, moral, and physical relations : with an account of the diseases of the genito-urinary organs, which impair or destroy the reproductive function and induce a variety of complaints : with the physiology of generation in the vegetable and animal kingdoms : being part of a course of obstetric lectures delivered at the North London School of Medicine, Charlotte Street, Bloomsbury, Bedford Square / by Michael Ryan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    tion is usually accomplished; and each side of the uterus, each ovary and tube, are in the same relative situation to the spermatic fluid; and, therefore, we cannot explain how opposite sexes are procreated by the same individuals. If the semen pass to the ovaries, as is generally supposed, it must ascend against its own gravity ; and therefore this is a negative proof in favour of the ascent of a vapour from it. The experiments of Spallanzani, and others, who impreg- nated bitches by injecting the spermatic fluid very warm, as furnished by the male, were unsuccessful when they allowed it to cool, and its volatile part to evaporate. But in many other experiments, the male fluid of frogs, which was not only allowed to cool, but was largely diluted with water, caused impregnation. A remarkable case is mentioned by Mr. Hunter, relating to the human subject. A patient of his had fistula in perineo, through which the semen escaped during sexual intercourse, and Mr. Hunter advised him to collect it and inject it into the vagina, which was done, and caused impregnation. I think this statement by no means satisfactorily proved ; for it is not easy to conceive how the fluid could have been collected, or how it could be prolific after its exposure to the air. M. Venette lays down seven rules for the art of procrea- ting the sexes at will:—1. That persons should not procreate until the body is fully developed at the adult age, as the most vigorous generate more males than females; 2. They should use nourishing food and drink; 3. They should avoid all excesses of the table; 4. To obtain male infants the pleasure of love must be used moderately ; for after reiterated enjoy- ment girls are conceived; 5. That women who menstruate moderately should not deliver themselves to sexual pleasure, until after the end of each period ; those who menstruate profusely or too frequently, should not deliver themselves to enjoy the same function but only a short time before or after the evacuation; 6. That girls are begotten most fre- quently when the heat of the weather is excessive; 7. To obtain sons, the generative act should be performed when the wind is northerly. High mental endowments and physical beauty are requi- site for the procreation of infants of vigour and of genius. Men of great minds generally unite themselves to women of high mental endowments, and prefer these to pecuniary considerations, family connections, titles, and transient ad-