important. There is one condition, however, that we have only referred
to incidentally, and that is the failure of Sexual Power in men past
middle age. No man (if he is reasonably careful and does not abuse
himself) should find his powers decaying before he is seventy or eighty
years of age. Mind, we do not say "no man does," but no man "_should_,"
provided he is reasonably careful.

But here comes the fact. Most men are _not_ careful, and most men _have_
abused themselves at some period. Many believe and stoutly maintain that
they "never had emissions or seminal disease, and it didn't hurt them."
But it did, and it is just now that they begin to feel it. It is true
they escaped the more acute and direful effects, but it told on them in
after years. There are many thousands to-day who are just now feeling
the effects of early vices, now almost forgotten. They can be restored
to _natural_ power by proper treatment, but they rarely are, because but
few of them believe that early self-abuse or later Onanism has anything
to do with it. So they spend a fortune almost--and uselessly too--on
Stimulants, Nervines, Tonic and the like, but still remain partly or
wholly Impotent. Foolish men!




_CHAPTER II._

THE VITAL FLUID

What it Is, What it Does, and How it is allowed to Drain Away,
Weakening, Emasculating and Dementing the Vicious and the Careless.
Diurnal (daily) Emissions. Nocturnal (nightly) Emissions. Impalpable