[343] "Ich hatte sie wirklich verloren, und die Tollheit, mit der ich meinen Fehler an mir selbst rächte, indem ich auf mancherlei unsinnige Weise in meine physische Natur sturmte, um der sittlichen etwas zu Leide zu thun, hat sehr viel zu den körperlichen Uebeln beigetragen, unter denen ich einige der besten Jahre meines Lebens verlor; ja ich wäre vielleicht an diesem Verlust vollig zu Grunde gegangen, hätte sich hier nicht das poetische Talent mit seinen Heilkraften besonders hülfreich erwiesen." This is scarcely conclusive, and it may be added that there were many reasons why Goethe should have suffered physically at this time, quite apart from masturbation. See, e.g., Bielschowsky, _Life of Goethe_, vol. i, p. 88. [344] _Les Obsessions_, vol. ii, p. 136. [345] A somewhat similar classification has already been made by Max Dessoir, who points out that we must distinguish between onanists _aus Noth_, and onanists _aus Leidenschaft_, the latter group alone being of really serious importance. The classification of Dallemagne is also somewhat similar; he distinguishes _onanie par impulsion_, occurring in mental degeneration and in persons of inferior intelligence, from _onanie par evocation ou obsession_. [346] W. Xavier Sudduth, "A Study in the Psycho-physics of Masturbation," _Chicago Medical Recorder_, March, 1898. Haig, who reaches a similar conclusion, has sought to find its precise mechanism in the blood-pressure. "As the sexual act produces lower and falling blood-pressure," he remarks, "it will of necessity relieve conditions which are due to high and rising blood-pressure, such, for instance, as mental depression and bad temper; and, unless my observation deceives me, we have here a connection between conditions of high blood-pressure with mental and bodily depression and acts of masturbation, for this act will relieve these conditions and tend to be practiced for this purpose." (_Uric Acid_, 6th edition, p. 154.) [347] Northcote discusses the classic attitude towards masturbation, _Christianity and Sex Problems_, p. 233. [348] _El Ktab_, traduction de Paul de Régla, Paris, 1893. [349] Remy de Gourmont, _Physique de l'Amour_, p. 133. [350] Tillier, _L'Instinct Sexuel_, Paris, 1889, p. 270. [351] G. Hirth, _Wege zur Heimat_, p. 648. [352] Féré, in the course of his valuable work, _L'Instinct Sexuel_, stated that my conclusion is that masturbation is normal, and that "_l'indulgence s'impose_." I had, however, already guarded myself against this misinterpretation. APPENDIX A. THE INFLUENCE OF MENSTRUATION ON THE POSITION OF WOMEN.