Practical remarks on the treatment of spermatorrhoea and some forms of impotence / by John L. Milton.
- Milton, J. L. (John Laws), 1820-1898
- Date:
- 1854
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Practical remarks on the treatment of spermatorrhoea and some forms of impotence / by John L. Milton. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.
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![broad mind; and it is only surprising to nie that the tissue of errors stated by M. Lalle- niand on this subject sliould have lieen ad- mitted, after the truth had been set on so secure a basis by Mr. Hunter. But then we ai-e tokl this substance has the peculiar smell of semen wlieu rubbed between the fingers. Unfortunately for this pai-t of the argument, it happens that the true semen has no smell! The semen, w/ien ejaculated, has a jieculiar odour, but then it is mixed with the secre- tions of the vesicjilce seminales, the prostate and Cowpei-'s glands.* Of one thing I am quite sure, persons subject to both kinds of discharge have no sensation when this mucus or vesicular gleet, as I shall henceforth take the liberty of calling it, is passing away, except that of a ljulky body going along the urethra, and yet when they have emissions are conscious of the usual sensation. This gleet may occur without seminal emissions, these without it; when both co-exist, one may be cured quite independent of the other. The microscope, it is said, gives proof that it is semen by making visible the spermatozoa; these cells, however, are found in the vas deferens, and it is possible some few may be ejaculated at the sanie tirrie the vesiculae seminales ai-e emptied. When, however, I am told, that the mi- croscope gives decisive evidence that this fluid is semen, 1 must say, with all deference, that 1 am still unconvinced. It may indeed be shown that the animalcula present are an infuliil)le proof that semen is there, but this is nothing weighed against the evidence of tlie vital phenomenon already adduced. In fact, I am afraid the microscope and balance, the test tu))e and litmus paper will do here what tluy have ever done for the treatment of disease—but very httle—the only path i)y which we can advance seems to be by the accurate observation of the phenomena of disease and the action of remedies on them. When this is properly done, no time can be left for other pursuits, and the collateral sciences, as histology and chemistry, can only 1)6 looked on as scientific rehixation from the serious business of healing disease. Comjdicatiom.—It is almost superfluous to say, that all com]>lication3 require imme- diate removal. Gonorrhoea and stricture h.-ivc their appropriate remedies, upon which I shall not touch. It has, however, Ijccn asserted that spermatorrhoea may depend U|>on fissures in the anus, asciridcs, &c. To wliieh I re])ly, that I have strong doubts alwut tiie fact; but as these causes would require removing for their own sake, it is * Ki>lliktr« Manual of IIiuiiuii IlistoloBy. obvious that tiic treatment must be much the same. I must, liowever, demur to M. Lallemand's plan of excising the prepuce in every case where accumulations of sebaceous matter behind it coincide with sperma- torrhoea. Where tliere is also contraction of the prepuce, so that the glans cannot be un- covered without pain ; or where a firm, con- stricting ring has formed underneath the mucous membrane, I grant that the remedy is circimicision ; but where the prepuce passes freely over the glans, plenty of soap and water every morning, and the use of zinc or tannin, in the form of a lotion, will almost always effect a cure. Wlien circumcision is imperatively called for I have found it best to slit up the skin and mucous membrane to the reflection of the latter, and then to cut away the frcenum as far as I could. The constricted part, which is mostly near the edge, is removed in a circle, and the bleeding being stopped, the skin and mucous membrane are brought to- gether by several fine stitches, and the in- tervening spaces may be covered with collo- dion. Of all the operations I have seen, this leaves the neatest prepuce. 1. Treatment of Niyht Discharges.—Even in cases where it might be supposed, from the healthy frame of the patient, that tonics are not called for, it will often be found that quinine will stop these discharges. Hunter says, The idea that has been formed of the disease leads to the practice generally re- commended, such as giving strengthening medicines of all kinds, but I never saw any good effects from any of them, and I should rather be inclined to take up the soothing plan to prevent aU violent actions, and keeping the body open will in some degi'ee moderate the discharge, and may probably effect a cure in the end.—(On the Venereal, p. 304.) Yet there can be little doubt, I think, in the minds of those who have given it a trial, that quinine does assist powerfully in con- troUing spermatorrbiea, especially in those cases where physical weakness is the pre- dominant sym))tom. I willingly admit that in others its good effects are not so marked; that where the tongue is foul, and there is a good deal of irritability, headache, and dys- pepsia, with costiveness, it is more necessary to subdue these symptoms by mild aperients, sedatives, &c., than to give any tonic, however useful in other conditions. M. Lallemand has urged against it, that it pro- duces considerable irritation, hut I apprehend this mostly arises cither from unsuitable eases being chosen, or from giving too large doses. Wiicn violent and painful erections arise](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21477772_0005.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
