We are sometimes called upon to examine stains upon linen, or the vaginal mucus, in cases of suspected rape. Such an investigation must be undertaken with the greatest care, and a positive opinion must not be expressed if the observer have the slightest doubt as to the nature of the bodies in question; neither should a positive conclusion be drawn from the presence of only one structure like a spermatozoön, nor from supposed fragments of their bodies. Fragments of cotton or linen sometimes assume forms very like those of spermatozoa. The mucus which has been dried on the linen, in which they are suspected to be present, even after it has been kept for some time, may be remoistened with distilled water, without the spermatozoa being destroyed. This is an investigation which should be conducted with the greatest care.

A little girl was brought into King's College Hospital in July, 1857, upon whom it was said a rape had been committed about three hours before. Mr. C. Heath, who was House Surgeon at the time, removed, with a pipette, a little of the mucus from the vagina at a point beyond the hymen, and after placing it upon a glass slide, sent it to me for examination. It was not examined

until six hours afterward, and being uncovered, it became quite dry. Nothing definite could be made out by submitting the dry mass to examination. It was therefore moistened with a drop of distilled water, covered with a piece of thin glass, and examined with a quarter-inch object glass. Numerous cells of vaginal epithelium were seen, and amongst them as many as six spermatozoa were discovered in various parts of the field. All these were well defined and free from the epithelium.

Dr. Munroe, of Hull ("Archives of Medicine," vol. I, p. 139), reports a case in which by microscopical examination of spots on the linen three days after an alleged rape, he detected the presence of spermatozoa. Dr. Munroe thus describes the method of examination. "On cutting out some of the grayish and colored stains, macerating them in distilled water for some time, and afterward concentrating very much the solution, and placing the same under one of Ross's best quarter-inch object glasses, with an angle of aperture of 130°, and a magnifying

power of 215 diameters with the lowest eye-piece, numerous whole spermatozoa were seen, and also many others much mutilated— here only a head, there only a tail-indisputably proving the stain to be seminal."

The only structure occurring in urine, or of renal origin, at all liable to be mistaken for spermatozoa, as far as I am aware, is a form of vegetable growth which I have only once met with, in a specimen of urine sent to me by my friend Mr. Masters. Mr. C. Roberts, of St. George's Hospital, has taken very careful notes of the case. Some of the bodies in question very closely resembled spermatozoa, but their true nature was ascertained by comparison with many other specimens of the vegetable growth ("100 Urinary Deposits," Pl. II, Fig. 31). See "Archives," vol. I, p. 251.

Mucous Casts from the Seminal Tubules are sometimes found in the urine, and must not be mistaken for casts of the uriniferous tubes. Some of these casts are represented in "100 Urinary Deposits," Pls. I and II, Figs. 18 and 20. The casts of the seminal tubes are usually much longer than those of the kidney tubes, but they may be easily mistaken for them, especially if broken into fragments. They are usually less than the Too of an inch in diameter and vary little. Not unfrequently spermatozoa are packed together in great numbers, so as to form, with the mucus in which they are embedded, casts of considerable dimensions. A very good specimen is represented in "100 Urinary Deposits," Pl. I, Fig. 18, from the urine of an old man of 80.

Discharge of Seminal Secretion.-Very much contradictory matter has been written on the subject of seminal emissions, but there are obvious objections, while there is no corresponding advantage to be gained from discussing the subject in detail. To state the exact facts would render it necessary to go minutely into matters which have no scientific or clinical bearing, and to the exposition of which both reason and good taste are, in my judgment, opposed. The discharge, when frequent, is undoubtedly often followed by exhaustion and depression of the nervous system, but the exaggerated statements that

have been made upon this head have done, and will continue to do, as much harm to the morals as to the pockets of patients.

As is well known, seminal emissions are not unfrequently due to irritation of some part of the urinary apparatus or of parts or organs in its neighborhood. Peripheral irritation may excite contraction of the organic muscle of the prostate and its ducts, the vesiculæ seminales, the urethra, and other parts, and thus a sudden discharge of the secretion be induced. The irritating cause may be an ulcerated or excoriated patch of mucous membrane in the bladder, urethra, or even the pelvis of the kidneya renal calculus, or crystalline grains of uric acid or oxalate of lime in the kidney-prostatic calculi-worms or hardened fæces or other irritating matter in the large bowel, or even inflammation, accompanied by or independent of the formation of abscess. A superabundant prepuce-accumulation of secretion between the prepuce and glans-is occasionally the cause of much irritation, which sometimes results in the contraction of the vesiculæ seminales and all the parts concerned in the ejaculation of the secretion. Anything that irritates the prostate, urethra or bladder may occasion nocturnal emissions. It is possible, that by frequent attacks of this kind, improper habits may be suggested and afterwards encouraged, and unless the patient is taught the great importance of exercising proper control over himself, he may soon become a sufferer from a state of mind and body which will necessitate medical help, and he is fortunate who is led to apply early for advice, and at the hands, if not of the family doctor or some medical friend whom he knows intimately, at least of some practitioner of known character and eminence, rather than to a reputed curer of what has been called spermatorrhoea-the favorite specialité of a not very charitable or self-denying class of advisers.

Periods of undue excitation of the nerve centres concerned in the expulsion of the semen are followed by exhaustion, and if very frequently repeated, irreparable structural damage to nerve tissue may result, and within a short time. The artificial stimulation of the nerves of parts concerned in the ejaculation of the semen is especially harmful. Like other bad habits and vices to which

men give way, it tends to increase until weakness or paralysis from over excitation of nerve centres may result. At last discharge may take place involuntarily without the ordinary stimulus, and apparently without any muscular contraction. It is this state of things which is sometimes brought under our notice, and in the treatment of which we may be of great service to the unfortunate patient. Bad habits are sometimes contracted at a very early age, and, if persisted in, they produce an effect upon the nervous system which leads to impaired health, and the boy may suffer as regards both mental and bodily development. In the great majority of instances, there is practically as little difficulty in discovering as in correcting the evil at a very early age. It is in early manhood that the help of the medical friend of the family, or other sensible adviser and medical confidante is of importance, in order that the possibly injurious effects upon the future health may be properly explained to the patient, and suggestions offered which will enable him to get over the difficulty, and, perhaps, escape troubles of the most serious character. Upon this subject much that is at least injudicious has been written, not only by professional, but by non-professional and especially clerical advisers, who, though they try their utmost, often fail to produce the effect they desire, and sometimes misunderstand the case they suppose they have made themselves masters of.

Public Morality.-The question is so far apart from matters of ordinary knowledge and conversation, that many a young imagination is allowed to feed in solitude on the miserable horrors of its own creation, or on the abominable misrepresentations in some literary productions of the lowest and most degraded minds. Many of these, written avowedly for his assistance, are likely to add to his confusion and misery; and it is to be hoped that those induced to buy these bad books may have the strength of mind to see the bearing of the suggestions, and courage to discard them. It is a pity that what is called public opinion has not been brought to bear upon some matters connected with this question long ago. No doubt, in many individual cases, the advice of wise and good men has prevailed

in the long run, and from time to time the "society" of the future is saved from horrors and miseries, which, if permitted to increase, might have threatened its very foundations. But, alas! how many cases which might have been prevented, have resulted in needless misery, and wrecking of the fairest prospects and lives of great promise! In how many homes has not happiness been rendered impossible, hopes dashed, minds crushed, simplicity and purity forever lost, because no one liked to interfere, when a very little interference might have entirely prevented a disastrous course! Cases are allowed to go from bad to worse, and the deterrent effect upon the many that may, perhaps, be produced by the ruin following the recklessness, the wickedness, the willfulness of the few, is practically nearly all in the way of prevention that we have to rely upon. But there can be little effect in this direction without publicity, and publicity is neither likely to be given nor is it to be desired in most cases. The healthy physical and moral training, and the means taken to encourage self-restraint and the curbing of individual passion, are questions of national importance. It must be obvious to every thoughtful person that the theory of individual freedom and liberty of action does not involve or include any clearly defined line which shall indicate where liberty passes into license and dissipation; while underlying willful misrepresentations are the most monstrous perversions of physiological truths, and the falsely implied necessity of obedience to natural inclinatjons which would shock and insult a savage. The vilest thoughts, which, by the aid of great literary skill, can be embodied in language, are allowed to be publicly diffused, to corrupt and ruin the stupid and the weak, though they can only disgust the good, the sensible, and the strong, because it is doubtful whether public opinion would sanction their suppression, while, if it did, there would be the greatest difficulty on the part of those armed with power to decide precisely where the process of purgation and purification was to stop. At present public opinion seems to rely upon the law, while the law awaits the mandate of public opinion. So it comes about that questionable or abominable acts which may irreparably damage or destroy individuals, and would,