“(I may mention in this connection that my two sons were afflicted with adherent foreskins to such an extent as to render circumcision necessary a few days after birth, in order that the function of urination might become fully established.)

“As my powers developed I had my first wet dream at about the age of 15, and was much surprised thereat.  My father, however, told me not to be alarmed and soothed my anxious fears, which were easily aroused by my guilty feelings on account of my habit of masturbation, in which I still indulged from one to three times a week.

“Between the ages of 12 and 17 my father had the good judgment to require a large amount of active outdoor labor from me, as well as sending me to excellent schools.  Certain kinds of study had a distinct effect upon the sexual organs, namely, difficult Latin and German translations and problems in fractions.  I considered at the time that it was because my mind wandered from the subject I was studying.  Now I am perfectly sure it was because my mind focused on the subject I was studying.  At any rate the fact existed, and when alone in my room, wrestling with a knotty problem, I used almost as a rule to keep myself in the most violent state of erection for long periods—­an hour or so—­sometimes ending with an emission, but more often I forced myself to forego this climax through fear of overindulgence.  During these years my curiosity as to the exact nature of the female organs was something terrible, and I wasted many hours and much ingenuity in the attempt to surreptitiously gratify it.  My perseverance in the face of failure along this line was surely worthy of a nobler cause.

“I was much in the society of girls of my own age or older during these years and until I was 19.  I found with them a keen and entirely pure and wholesome enjoyment utterly separate and apart from the desires and indulgences which I have been describing.  I never cared for any girl who was ‘forward’ or in any way unladylike, and the idea of taking any undue liberties with any of my youthful sweethearts was as remote from my thoughts as a trip to the moon.  Perhaps I can say this better and more distinctly by stating that I would be perfectly willing to have my wife know of, or my boys repeat, any action that I ever took with any woman.

“I spent my spare time in their society and lavished upon my girl companions every cent I could spare, but had no thought of immediate sex desire or gratification.  At the age of 17 I went as an apprentice in my present profession of dentistry.  Whenever it became necessary for me, in assisting at the operating chair, to touch a lady’s hair or face, I would be seized with the utmost confusion and could with difficulty control my hands so that they did not tremble.