_Prevention of masturbation._—At this period, the children of both sexes have to be warned against the habit of masturbation. There are three periods in the child’s life when the danger of masturbation is especially imminent. There is, in the first place, the period of infancy and early age when the child is usually seduced to masturbation either by vicious servants or ignorant mothers, uncleanliness or improper diet. At this time careful watching of servants, cleanliness of the genitals, details of diet, as light suppers, non-spicy food, non-alcoholic drinks, the right way of sleeping, as hard mattresses, the proper dressing, as light trousers, etc., will prevent early self-abuse. At the second period when the child enters school the danger of seduction to self-abuse is again very great. Masturbation is widely spread in schools. No institution is free from it. In some schools the evil reaches a wide extension. Particularly dangerous, as hatcheries and divulgers of the evil, are those institutions in which numerous pupils are present who have passed the normal age by several years. At this time any moral indignation or long-winded sermons or, what is still worse, punishment, will be of no avail and will have just the opposite effect. Long talks and repeated turnings to the same subject will be of great harm and will only call the child’s attention upon the evil. Here only a deeply implanted disgust of the child against children with nasty habits will prevent the child’s seduction by such masturbators. This feeling can not be implanted in a day. One lesson will not accomplish anything, if the parents have not interposed a remark at every opportune moment during all the years between infancy and school days. The third period favorable for acquiring the habit of masturbation is the time of puberty. At this period systematic action is of great necessity. All causes of the material genital congestion, as remaining long in a sitting position, sitting with crossed legs, riding on chairs, the movements of the sewing machine, climbing with the legs on poles, retention of urine and stool, erotic literature, obscene pictures and vulgar plays, all of which often tend to evoke sexual desire or excite the genital organs, must be removed.