If there is a man to be pitied on this earth, it is he who is walking about from day to day conscious of being guilty of ever having practiced this vice.  Mark the man who is addicted to it in no matter how light a form; his face tells the story of his sin.  See his +haggard looks+, his +deep, sunken eyes+, which he throws only half-way into the countenance of his friend. Note the +blue+ or +black discolorations+ under the +eye+; the +nervousness+ to get away from a crowd, and the extreme +girlishness+ or +backwardness+ when +introduced+ into the +company of ladies+.

The victim of the most dangerous of all vices soon reaches a state which, if not promptly relieved by the proper remedy, will end in life-long misery or an early death.

Objectively considered, the masturbator is recognized by a marked facial expression, by a characteristic mannerism, and by a peculiar mental state.

THE FACE.—­The +facial expression+ consists of a +pale+ and +sallow tint+ of the skin, unusual +development+ of +acne+,—­red pimples,—­ especially on the +forehead+; a +dark circle+ around the +orbits+; +dilated+ and +sluggish pupils+; +lustreless eyes+, and an +oblique line extending+ from the +inner angle+ of the +lids transversely+ across the +cheek+ to the +lower margin+ of the +malar+ (cheek) +bone+.  The +face+ has a +haggard, troubled, furtive expression+.

THE MANNER.—­The +manner+ of the +masturbator+ is peculiar.  He is +listless, shy, retiring+, and +easily confused+; he +avoids society+, preferring +solitude+; there is a want of +steadiness+ and +decision+ in his +locomotion+; his inferior +extremities+ seem +deficient+ in +power+, and all his movements betray +a mind ill at ease+.

THE MIND.—­His +mental operations+ are +confused+; his +speech is embarrassed, awkward+, and +without directness+; his +memory+ is +defective+, and he is +absent-minded+ and +given+ to +reverie+.  If the habit has long existed, and been excessively frequent in repetition, +epilepsy+ may be produced; or +serious mental disorder+, as +delusional insanity+, +dementia+, etc., may occur.

THE SEXUAL ORGANS.—­The state of the +genital organs+ varies with the length of time the habit has been indulged.  In some young subjects, there will be observed an _+extraordinary development+ of the +organ+_, owing to premature excitement; but the disproportion is not maintained.  Prof.  Barthalow says:  “With the progress of the habit the organ becomes _+small+ and +relaxed+, the +erections feeble+, the +corpora cavernosa+ either +waste away+ or their +vessels+ lose their +tonicity+, whereby an apparent +shrinkage takes place+; the +corpus spongiosum+ and the +glands+ also +shrink+, so that the +prepuce+ (fore-skin) appears +unnaturally elongated+.  The +testes+ may +increase+ in +size+, become +tender+ and +irritable+_, or they may waste away to nothing but little strings; the latter is the more usual result.