These facts were very manifest after the bad harvest of 1816: the number of conceptions, proportionally speaking was less, from November 1816 to September 1817, especially during the months of April, May, June, and July, than in other years. (_Ann. d’hyg. publ., Jun. 1834._) Similar observations have been made in animals: it is remarked that the period of heat supervenes when they are best fed, and that generally they are much more productive when they are domesticated than when in a wild state, where they are often liable to long fasts. Hence there is reason for prescribing fasting to deaden carnal passions. Villermé has remarked that in all those catholic countries of which he has seen statistics, Lent, as it is now observed, and particularly as it was formerly kept, seems to exercise an unfavorable influence on generation. The facts which have been mentioned may be explained in several ways: first by the action of plenty and scarcity on the health of the public. Probably in times of scarcity, a state of things is observed analogous to what is seen in marshy countries during the reign of epidemics. The action of abundance on the power of procreation may be explained also by the direct influence of the labor of digestion on the organs where the venereal sense is located. It is known that amorous desires are often developed directly after taking food. Nocturnal pollutions sometimes occur directly after lying down. Serrurier speaks of a maniac who had seminal emissions on taking food after long abstinence. (_Dict. des Sc. Med._, vol. xliv. p. 116.) Farther the effect alluded to may be produced as is readily imagined, more easily and forcibly when the excitement attending the labor of digestion is excessive when for instance, the repast has been great, composed of many exciting and stimulant articles of food and of good wine or with a small quantity of alcoholic drinks. Those individuals who are subject to pollution, feel the direct influence of these circumstances.