Van Swieten, Morand, Pouteau, &c. The dangers of these practices are not simply those which are stated in the facts already mentioned; nor are they confined to exhausting the rest of the sensibility preserved in the genital organs: they finally cause chronic diseases of the urethra and bladder. These organs, when constantly irritated by applications which in individuals not entirely exhausted are always painful--these organs inflame; indurations, ulcerations, and strictures, form in the urethra; after which supervene all the symptoms of acute and chronic blenorrhea, detentions of urine, and catarrh of the bladder. Venereal delirium has led other individuals to use processes no less ridiculous, and equally as dangerous. The penis of those who are thus unfortunate has remained in the places where it has been introduced, with a view to imitate the natural process better. Sabatier has related the case of a young man, who had passed his penis through the handle of a key. The handle had been pushed far towards the pubis, and the penis had swelled so as to conceal it from sight: the swelling was also increased by the efforts of the patient to withdraw it. After oiling the parts well, the handle was slipped down as far as the glans; but here scarifications were required, to diminish the engorgement, before the penis could be liberated. After this, escars sloughed off, which were followed by cicatrices, which rendered the part deformed, although a sound was introduced into the urethra, to prevent this result. The same author relates that a young man had passed his penis into a copper ring: this, however, was fortunately divided with a pair of strong scissors. Another used a rough iron ring for this purpose. The penis puffed out, above and below this ring. A locksmith was called in, to file it off, which could only be done by placing small bits of wood between the penis and the iron ring. Much time was required to remove it. In the same manner--that is, by filing--a ring was removed from another patient, where gangrene had threatened to appear. One of the most horrid cases of this kind on record, is that of a young man, who, on taking a bath, indulged in masturbation, by placing his penis into the hole in the bottom of the tub, made for the removal of the water. The glans soon became so much swelled, that he could not withdraw it. His cries brought him assistance; but it was not easy to remove him from the fetters he had forged for himself. (_Dict. des Sc. Med._, vol. xxi., p. 167.)