Hippocrates on tabes dorsalis
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In De Morbis, Hippocrates identifies tabes dorsalis, he also calls it tabes ossis sacri. This quotation has been central to anti-masturbation literature up until the early 20th century. What he seems to be describing are the effects of syphilis.
- Tabes dorsalis a spinali medulla oritur, maxime vera recentes sponsos et libidinosos corripit. Febris sunt expertes, bene comedunt, et colliquantur. Quod si ita affectum perconteris, dicet, sibi videri ex superioribus partibus a capite velut formicas in spinam descendere ; quumque urinam aut stercus reddit, ipse semen genitale cqpiosum et liquidum prodit ; necque genitura intus concipitur et inter dormiendum cum uxore dbrmiat, nee ne semen profundat., etc. (Lib. ii., cap. 19.) via "Spermatorrhoea: its causes, symptoms, results and treatment" by Roberts Bartholow
Partial translations:
- "This disorder arises from the spinal marrow, and those who are given to unnatural enjoyments are afflicted with it. They have no fever, and though they eat well, they fall away and become consumptive. Every time they go to stool or ..."
On the efects of immodest venery
- One should be able to recognize those who have headache from gymnastic exercises, or running, or walking or hunting, or any other unseasonable labor, or from immoderate venery; also those who are of a pale color, or troubled with hoarseness; those who have enlarged spleen, those who are in a state of anaemia, those who are suffering from tympanites, those having dry cough and thirst, those who are flatulent, and have the course of the blood in their veins intercepted; those persons whose hypochondria, sides, and back are distended: those having torpor; those laboring under amaurosis, or having noises in their ears; those suffering from incontinence of urine or jaundice, or whose food is passed undigested; those who have discharges of blood from the nose or anus, or who have flatulence and intense pain, and who cannot retain the wind. In these cases you may do mischief, but cannot possibly do any good by purging, but may interrupt the spontaneous remissions and crises of the complaints. --On Regimen in Acute Diseases
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