Practical remarks on the treatment of spermatorrhoea and some forms of impotence / by John L. Milton.

  • Milton, J. L. (John Laws), 1820-1898.
Date:
1854
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical remarks on the treatment of spermatorrhoea and some forms of impotence / by John L. Milton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    reasonable to infer, that in men living alto- gether in an abnormal condition, habit, cli- mate, and diet will approximate the diseased states of individuals, though possessed of no power to influence the original state of each recurring generation. But while I strongly urge the use of plenty of meat, I exclude none of the four varieties of nutriment; and I say this advi- sedly, for 1 have seen some of the most ob- stinate cases of spermatorrhoea in ascetic patients, who religiously excluded sometimes all oily, sometimes all sugary matters, and thus appeared to give full swing to the oxalic acid diathesis with which many of them were afflicted, ^ 3. Imperfect Secretion, Sfc.—Although this state may arise from either of two se- parate causes,—viz., inherent weakness, or excessive irritation set up in the testes,— yet, as both causes are generally in action to such an extent as to render it difficult in many instances to assign to either its true amount of influence, and as they converge to a common point—imperfect secretion of semen, and, as a necessary consequence, im- potence, I have judged it best to take them both at this stage, which is that most gene- rally presented to our observation. When imperfect secretion or true sperma- torrhoea has merely followed as a result of youthful excesses, we may, even when it is accompanied by the most alarming symp- toms, as breathlessness, wasting, with loss of strength and spirits, generally promise a cure in every case where neither phthisis nor any pathognomonic signs of organic change in the nervous centres have set in. This class embraces, I presume, the more serious ' cases of Mr. Acton. As this gentleman, like M. Lallemand, has not divided his system of ' treatment, I have sometimes had great diffi- ■ culty in making out exactly to what branch of disease he refers in speaking of some of his remedies, and he will therefore excuse me if I have misunderstood him. In the foregoing division I have discussed every remedy which I believe to be called for here, gnd due perseverance in their use will mostly effect a cure. There are, how- ever, a few points to which I should like to draw attention. 1. The indigestion which accompanies many of these cases is often best relieved by the use of aromatic confection in combina- tion with sulphite of soda and mint-water. Of the way in which it acts I do not profess to offer an explanation ; I limit myself ex- pressly to stating the results of my expe- rience. 2. Where practicable, I would advise a gradual transition to the diet on which prize- fighters are put when in training. A milk diet has been recommended on good autho- rity, but it soon becomes insupportable ; it often causes a most uncomfortable state of distension; and, finally, I have no great faith in its good effects. Whatever plan the sur- geon resorts to, he will have to persevere with, for many of these patients have an ob- jection ready so soon as anything is proposed. 3. I think it is imperatively necessary to attempt, by every means in our power, as blisters, occasional injections, &c., to dimi- nish the sensitiveness of the urethra before resorting to the caustic or even the bougie. We thus not only secure a great number of patients, whom the dread of some operation of this kind drives to the quack, but we materially lessen their sufferings without really losing time. Spermatorrhoea, as a complication of con- genital imperfect erection, is a more rare and more formidable matter. Both, singly, are common enough, but they are not often seen together. In the cases I have met with there was generally extreme derange- ment of the assimilative and digestive pro- cesses ; the urine contained oxalates; a faulty fetate pervaded the organs of the senses, &c. I need scarcely say that it is necessary to draw a wide line of distinction in treatment between congenital and occa- sional imperfect erections, both of which may co-exist in an otherwise healthy system. Sufficient materials do not appear to have been accumulated to found any comprehen- sive plan of treatment for cases belonging to this subdivision,but, except in rare instances, they do not present any insurmountable difficulties, unless the imperfect erections are congenital, and combined with an other- wise faulty development.