Impotence through the ages / Medical Research Division, Schering Corporation.

  • Schering Corporation. Medical Research Division
Date:
[1941]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Impotence through the ages / Medical Research Division, Schering Corporation. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    one on each side, with their skin just touching his, in order to maintain or restore his potency.’” It was im- portant for the girls to remain virgin if the treatment was to succeed ; but even so, they were kept on duty for only a week, and then received a protracted vacation before returning to their chore. The complete rite may be of value, but according to the Parisians, the mere odor of young women would abolish the more disturbing symptoms of old age. French ladies of the Renaissance had such delicate sensibilities that they permitted themselves to be nause- ated at a man who was merely rumored to be impotent. Mme. de Mantuison is said to have had an especially developed faculty for diagnosing impotence by odor. DIETARY THERAPY The list of foods presumed to have aphrodisiac proper- ties is of surprising length. Mushrooms, mistletoe, rue, ivy, mandrake, hemp, nettles, onions, garlic, leeks, cel- ery, caviar, sea-holly, hard-boiled eggs—and more re- cently oysters in season—all have been eaten to en- hance or restore potency. The stimulating powers of mistletoe were advocated to peoples as widely diverse as the Siberians and the Hvalpai Indians of Arizona.® Foods with strong flavors, spices and potent season- ings are held to operate favorably. Foods which sug- gest the male genitalia are especially valuable, celery be- ing esteemed among the Belgians,!* and ginseng among the Chinese. Unusual or rare foods may readily be as- signed an aphrodisiac effect; caviar, for example.**
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