CHAPTER X

BIRTH CONTROL

§ 214

This chapter is written; but, because of the egoistic-social legislation of fifty years ago, cannot be printed.

While it is lawful to inform readers that abortion is a crime and in every way unnatural, the practice of —— and ——, and the use of ——, ——, ——, etc., none of which in any sense causes the death of that which has begun to live, as is the case in abortion, cannot by law be described.

While it has been conclusively proved that in countries like Holland where birth control is not only legalized but made a matter of public instruction, the birth rate declines, _but_ the death rate declines _still more_, legislators in this country have apparently gone on the principle that more unintelligent voters were more desirable than fewer intelligent voters. For where the death rate, due to birth control, is still less than the birth rate the result is a great increase in intelligence as well as eventually in population.

FOOTNOTES

[1] One of the questions of a questionnaire submitted to prominent neurologists, and published in _Mental Hygiene_ (Oct., 1920) was the following: “Do you consider that absolute continence is always to be insisted upon, or may it be taught that under certain conditions intercourse in the unmarried is harmless or beneficial?”

To this question A. A. Brill of New York gave the following answer: “Years ago I encouraged intercourse in some neurotics who were constantly worrying about sex. I soon found out that it had not benefited them. The same factors which produced the original conflicts continued to disturb them. Now I remove their conflicts by analysis, and then they need no advice. I have known a number of cases who have successfully abstained from two to three years following analysis.”

[2] Used in technical sense explained in § 141.

[3] BERMAN: _The Glands Regulating Personality_, N. Y., 1921, p. 96.

[4] _Erotism_ is defined in the dictionaries as a medical word meaning “abnormal sexual desire.” But that is simply because the doctors got hold of it first. There is no Greek word _erotism_ nor yet _eroticism_, but “erotism” has resulted from being the common element in autoerotism and allerotism and being shorter than eroticism was adopted by the present writer to name the highest type of the combination of body and soul mating. He never suspected till he looked up the word that it had a bad sense in the minds of others. (See also p. 82.)

[5] As will appear in the following chapters (especially § 43), egoistic-social impulses or instincts are those which include the trends toward self-maintenance and self-magnification—practically all impulses that are not truly erotic.

[6] The “playmate” is a new term for an old thing, which does not, however, imply that present conditions are exactly the same as those of Sheridan’s day who, in _The School for Scandal_, makes Lady Teazle say: “You know I admit you as a lover no farther than fashion sanctions,” to which Joseph Surface replies: “True—a mere Platonic cicisbeo, what every wife is entitled to.” And the Century Dictionary defines _cicisbeo_ as “In Italy, since the 17th century, the name given to a professed gallant and attendant of a married woman; one who dangles about women,” and shows that the word is derived from _chiche_, little, and _beau_.

“Tame cats” and “house friends” are also names given today, by these discontented women, to the persons who engage in this form of cicisbeism.

[7] Havelock Ellis, who coined the word autoerotism, defines it as follows (_Studies in the Psychology of Sex_, Vol. I, page 161): “By ‘autoerotism’ I mean the phenomena of spontaneous sexual emotion generated in the absence of an external stimulus proceeding, directly or indirectly, from another person.” The present writer calls autoerotic those husbands who, in the love episode, secure their own erotic acme, in which their sexual, if not their erotic, tension is relaxed; but either do not know or do not care whether their wives reach a corresponding relaxation. The opposite of autoerotism is allerotism, where the husband places on the wife’s erotic relaxation a value at least equal to that which he places on his own.

[8] Hologamy, however (see §§ 187 to 198), depends on a direct and not an alternating current.

[9] See § 43.

[10] Derived ultimately from _cano_, sing or utter in impassioned tone and rhythm. Women are more erotically impressed by men’s singing than men are by women’s.

[11] In § 44.

[12] See § 65.

[13] Further discussed in §§ 100-106.

[14] For a more detailed explanation of mother imago, see the chapter on Hologamy and Prostitution.

[15] Stekel, W., in _The Homosexual Neurosis_ (Boston, 1922) says: “The evil effects produced upon the child witnessing marital bickerings, the household inspiration it receives with regard to judgment-feelings about women and men, the decisive manner in which parents affect it when they transfer their conflicts on the child—these capital facts the life histories of homosexuals given above illustrate very clearly for anyone willing to look squarely at the truth. We do not yet appreciate how careful we must be in our relations with the children. Our educators are still guilty of a serious blunder when they conceive their duty to be to instil goodness in the child through the instrumentality of fear. There are only two educational levers: one’s own example and—love. The healthiest children come from happy marriages. It is love that determines whether a marriage shall be a happy one and whether the offspring will be healthy or weak. The unconscious sexual instinct manifesting itself in love is the guide for the regeneration of the human race. Social conditions favouring early love marriages are the only social reform to which I look for results.” (Page 316.)

[16] _The Glands Regulating Personality_, Macmillan, 1921.

[17] See § 187.

[18] §§ 128-169.

[19] Dr. Alice B. Stockham, _Karezza: Ethics of Marriage_, N. Y., 1896. She recommends that both husband and wife refrain from the erotic acme. “During a lengthy period of perfect control, the whole being of each is merged into the other, and an exquisite exaltation experienced. This may be accompanied by a quiet motion, entirely under subordination of the will, so that the thrill of passion may not go beyond a pleasurable exchange.... With abundant time and mutual reciprocity the interchange becomes satisfactory and complete, without emission or crisis. In the course of an hour the physical tension subsides, the spiritual exaltation increases and not uncommonly visions of a transcendent life are seen and consciousness of new powers experienced.” (Page 25.) She suggests that such episodes should take place from two weeks to three months apart, and should be the only type of love episode except where procreation is desired.

[20] _Beiträge zur Psychologie des Liebeslebens._ Psychoanalytische Jahrbuch (1910).

[21] Harrow: _Glands in Health and Disease_, N. Y., 1922, p. 105.

[22] For a discussion of masochism see §§ 177, 180.

[23] For a discussion of the Mother-Imago see the chapter on Prostitution.

[24] “When we say that for health any individual requires an adequate sexual outlet, it must be understood that this outlet may be secured in a great number of different ways. A person may be having regular and frequent sexual intercourse (excessive intercourse, in fact) without this affording him an adequate outlet, or preventing his libido from becoming dammed up.”—FRINK: _Morbid Fears and Compulsions_, p. 268.

[25] LOMBROSO and FERRERO: ap. ELLIS, op. cit., VI, 415.

[26] § 102.

[27] STEKEL, W.: _The Homosexual Neurosis_, Boston, 1922, p. 117.

INDEX

Acme, § 26, p. 44; § 28, p. 48; § 68, p. 103; § 75, p. 110; § 76, p. 111; § 81, p. 121; § 89, p. 128; § 96, p. 136; § 97, p. 137; § 101, p. 141; § 110, p. 151; § 111, p. 153; § 121, p. 165; § 139, p. 193; § 144, p. 197; § 146, p. 202; § 157, p. 221; § 199, p. 277

Adult, § 48, p. 77

Affection, § 182, p. 259; § 188, p. 260

All, a woman’s, §§ 82-85, pp. 123-125; § 89, p. 128

Analogy, § 57, p. 91

Anesthesia, § 8, p. 12; § 20, p. 31; § 73, p. 108; § 136, p. 187; § 140, p. 193; § 141, p. 195; § 149, p. 206; § 163, p. 228; § 181, p. 248; § 199, p. 276

Annihilation, § 132, p. 182

Apperception, § 195, p. 271

Art of Love, § 74, p. 109

Asceticism, § 33, p. 56; § 42, p. 66

Athletic _vs._ Sedentary, § 32, p. 53

Autoerotism, § 20, p. 31; § 21, p. 33; § 23, p. 37; § 27, p. 46; § 28, p. 48; § 48, p. 77; § 112, p. 154; § 115, p. 157; § 116, p. 159; § 133, p. 183; § 145, p. 198; § 153, p. 214; § 155, p. 217

Autosuggestion, § 28, p. 48; § 30, p. 51; § 116, p. 159

Bennett, Arnold, § 18, p. 26

Berman, § 10, p. 13

Binary, § 66, p. 100; § 95, p. 135; § 159, p. 224

Birth Control, § 214, p. 298

Brill, A. A., § 6, p. 7

Charity, § 3, p. 3

Charm, § 17, p. 24; § 18, p. 26; § 73, p. 108

Cicisbeo, § 12, p. 18

Clandestine relations, § 49, p. 78; § 71, p. 105

Coldness (see _Frigidity_.)

Combinations of conscious and unconscious passion, § 189, p. 262

Comparison, § 44, p. 68

Companionship, § 46, p. 73; § 158, p. 222; § 159, p. 224

Compensation, § 156, p. 219

Completeness of Life, § 47, p. 75

Compulsion to repeat, § 146, p. 279

Conflict, § 6, p. 7; § 147, p. 203; § 180, p. 247; § 187, p. 259

Confusion of erotic and egoistic-social, § 40, p. 64; § 135, p. 186; § 137, p. 190

Continence, Male, § 100, p. 140

Control, § 5, p. 6; § 23, p. 37; § 26, p. 44; §§ 28-30, pp. 48-51; § 32, p. 53; § 67, p. 102; § 68, p. 103; § 100, p. 140; § 114, p. 155; §§ 128-169, pp. 175-234; § 174, p. 240

Control, woman’s, § 67, p. 102; § 68, p. 103; § 133, p. 183

Coué, § 116, p. 159

Creating, § 84, p. 124

Demi-human, § 31, p. 52; § 125, p. 169

Despair, § 136, p. 187

Disagreements, § 25, p. 43

Disappointments, § 136, p. 187; § 201, p. 279

Discontent, § 15, p. 22

Dissembling, § 150, p. 209; § 152, p. 212

Dominating, § 5, p. 6; § 107, p. 148

Double Standard, § 44, p. 69; § 199, p. 276

Drouet, Mlle., § 6, p. 7; § 192, p. 268

Drama, Love, § 69, p. 104; § 74, p. 109; § 87, p. 126

Duty, § 50, p. 82

Education, § 152, p. 212

Egoistic-social, § 17, p. 24; § 25, p. 42; §§ 43-45, pp. 67-71; § 50, p. 82; § 51, p. 83; § 171, p. 237; § 191, p. 264; § 206, p. 287

Ellis, § 37, p. 60; § 84, p. 125; § 90, p. 130; § 99, p. 139; § 128, p. 175; § 181, p. 248; § 183, p. 250

Embarrassment, § 70, p. 105; § 153, p. 214

Emotional catharsis, § 24, p. 39. (See _Acme_.)

Emotions, § 1, p. 1; § 24, p. 39; §§ 33-42, pp. 56-65; § 94, p. 133; § 193, p. 268; § 197, p. 273

Environment, mental, § 145, p. 200

Erotic, § 10, p. 13; § 25, p. 42; § 33, p. 56; § 36, p. 59; § 45, p. 71; § 46, p. 73; § 48, p. 77; § 49, p. 78; § 51, p. 83; § 109, p. 151; § 147, p. 203; § 180, p. 247; § 187, p. 259; § 191, p. 264

Erotic, superiority of, § 63, p. 97

Erotism, § 10, p. 14

Erotologist, § 65, p. 99; § 107, p. 148; § 112, p. 154

Estrus, § 98, p. 138

Evolution, § 128, p. 175; § 190, p. 263

Fakirs, § 117, p. 160

Fate, § 15, p. 22; § 154, p. 216; § 208, p. 290

Father, § 204, p. 284

Fears, § 149, p. 206

Femininity, § 16, p. 23; § 27, p. 46; § 66, p. 100; § 72, p. 107; § 107, p. 148

Fetishism, § 119, p. 162; § 120, p. 163; § 126, p. 170

Fickleness, § 41, p. 64

Freud, § 67, p. 102; § 102, p. 142; § 179, p. 246; § 181, p. 248; § 183, p. 250

Frigidity, § 136, p. 187; § 199, p. 276

Frink, H. W., § 33, p. 56; § 52, p. 85; § 147, p. 203

Fusion, § 56, p. 91; § 76, p. 111; § 88, p. 128; § 114, p. 155

Gallichan, W. M., § 111, p. 153

Giving, § 23, p. 37; § 24, p. 39; § 154, p. 216

Glands, § 10, p. 13; § 63, p. 97; § 105, p. 145

Gonad, § 80, p. 120; § 88, p. 128

Habit, § 42, p. 66

Hallucination, § 157, p. 221; § 161, p. 225

Harrow, B., § 105, p. 145

Haste, § 67, p. 102; § 134, p. 184; § 147, p. 203; § 148, p. 205; § 150, p. 209

Hologamy, § 19, p. 29; § 88, p. 128; § 95, p. 135; § 187, p. 259

Home, § 15, p. 22; § 202, p. 280

Homosexuality, § 184, p. 251

Honeymoon, § 22, p. 35; § 23, p. 37; § 112, p. 154; § 136, p. 187

Hutchinson, § 15, p. 22

Hypersomatic, § 29, p. 49; § 32, p. 53; § 145, p. 198; § 166, p. 231; § 190, p. 263

Hyposomatic, § 29, p. 49; § 32, p. 53

Identification, § 80, p. 118; § 171, p. 237

Ignorance, § 80, p. 118; § 98, p. 138

Imagination, § 116, p. 159; § 164, p. 229; § 165, p. 231; § 166, p. 231; § 167, p. 232

Individuality, § 128, p. 175

Infantility, § 27, p. 46; § 60, p. 94; § 155, p. 217

Infidelity, § 160, p. 224

Insight, erotic, § 199, p. 276; § 200, p. 277

Instinct, §§ 42-63, pp. 66-97; § 103, p. 144; § 120, p. 163; § 199, p. 276

Islet, § 79, p. 113; § 80, p. 118

James, W., § 33, p. 56

Jealousy, § 179, p. 246; § 183, p. 250; § 185, p. 253; § 186, p. 255

Juan, Don, § 85, p. 125

Jus primæ noctis, § 85, p. 125

Karezza, §§ 100-106, pp. 140-146; § 116, p. 159

Krafft-Ebing, § 177, p. 243

Law of Reversed Effort, § 116, p. 159

Lombroso, § 150, p. 209

Loneliness, § 156, p. 219

Love, § 33, p. 56; § 46, p. 73; § 64, p. 98; § 75, p. 110; § 94, p. 133; § 128, p. 175

Love at first sight, § 19, p. 29; § 47, p. 75

Love Drama, § 69, p. 104; § 74, p. 109; § 87, p. 126

Love Episode, § 10, p. 13; § 26, p. 44; § 74, p. 109; § 75, p. 110; § 84, p. 124; § 97, p. 137; § 146, p. 201; § 212, p. 294

Love Impulse, § 5, p. 6; § 132, p. 182

Love Pattern, § 30, p. 51; § 53, p. 87

Man’s _vs._ Woman’s egoistic-social and erotic urge, § 35, p. 59

Marriage a lottery, § 66, p. 100; § 128, p. 175; § 184, p. 257

Marriage not to be postponed, § 173, p. 240

Marriage, run down, § 19, p. 29; § 174, p. 241

Marriage, Happy, § 115, p. 157

Masculinity, § 16, p. 23; § 27, p. 46; § 60, p. 94; § 66, p. 100

Masochism, § 108, p. 149; § 177, p. 243; § 180, p. 247

Mastery, § 200, p. 277

Meisel-Hess, G., § 4, p. 4; § 6, p. 7; § 14, p. 21

Mental _vs._ physical, § 29, p. 49

Metonymy, § 161, p. 225

Monogamy, § 213, p. 297

Mother imago, § 27, p. 46; § 64, p. 98; § 110, p. 151; § 114, p. 155; § 134, p. 184; § 193, p. 268

Mountain-climbing allegory, §§ 122-127, pp. 165-171

Mutuality, §§ 21-25, pp. 33-42

Mystery, § 31, p. 33; § 121, p. 165; § 154, p. 216

Negativism, § 23, p. 37; § 59, p. 93; § 60, p. 94; § 151, p. 211

Next best thing, § 130, p. 179

Observation, § 28, p. 48; § 97, p. 137

Ocean shore, § 81, p. 121

O’Higgins, H., § 119, p. 162

Oneida Community, § 100, p. 140; § 114, p. 155

Over-sexed woman, § 149, p. 206; § 186, p. 258

Parents, § 52, p. 85; § 53, p. 87; § 54, p. 89

Passion, § 33, p. 56; § 49, p. 78; § 196, p. 272; § 203, p. 283; § 207, p. 289

Passive, § 27, p. 46; § 33, p. 56

Patterns, § 11, p. 16; §§ 31-32, pp. 52-55; § 53, p. 87; § 117, p. 160; § 118, p. 161; § 168, p. 233; § 170, p. 236; § 199, p. 276

Pepys, § 182, p. 249

Perverse, § 7, p. 11

Phantasy, § 86, p. 126; § 139, p. 193; § 146, p. 201; § 153, p. 214; § 157, p. 221; § 162, p. 226

Phobia, § 38, p. 61

Physical _vs._ mental, § 29, p. 49; § 170, p. 236

Plato, § 46, p. 73

Playmate, § 12, p. 18; § 27, p. 46

Plurality of women, § 191, p. 264

Polyandry, unconscious, § 176, p. 242

Polygamy, § 20, p. 31

Polymorphous-perverse, § 7, p. 11

Preparation of wife, §§ 97-99, pp. 137-139

Problems, sex, § 11, p. 16

Prodigality of Nature, § 206, p. 287

Prohibition, § 197, p. 273

Prostitute, § 4, p. 4; § 67, p. 102; § 150, p. 209

Prostitution, § 4, p. 4; § 54, p. 89; §§ 197-198, pp. 273-274

Psychic erotism, § 109, p. 151

Psychoanalysis, § 6, p. 7; § 31, p. 52; § 52, p. 85; § 184, p. 251

Rapport, § 99, p. 139; § 166, p. 231; § 207, p. 289

Rationalization, § 25, p. 42; § 82, p. 123

Reassociation, § 38, p. 61; § 39, p. 62; § 41, p. 64

Relaxation, § 96, p. 136; § 99, p. 139; § 192, p. 267

Repression, § 6, p. 7; § 35, p. 59; § 37, p. 60; § 128, p. 175; § 144, p. 197; § 162, p. 226; § 197, p. 273

Resentment, § 136, p. 187

Resistance, § 157, p. 221; § 159, p. 222

Responsibility, § 45, p. 71; § 194, p. 269

Restlessness, § 13, p. 19

Right of woman, § 89, p. 128; § 90, p. 130; § 92, p. 132; § 93, p. 133

Robie, Dr. W. F., § 65, p. 100

Robinson, J. H., § 1, p. 2

Romantic, § 14, p. 21; § 15, p. 22

Sacrifice, § 177, p. 243; § 180, p. 247

Satisfaction, § 2, p. 2; § 16, p. 23; § 26, p. 44; § 27, p. 46; § 72, p. 107

Science, § 110, p. 151

Sea and rocks, § 81, p. 121

“Secret Places of the Heart,” § 78, p. 113

Sex Inhibition, § 137, p. 190; § 178, p. 245

Sex life, normal, § 9, p. 12; § 11, p. 16; § 77, p. 112

Sex talk, § 11, p. 16

Shaw, G. B., § 156, p. 219

Shrew, § 20, p. 31

Simultaneity, § 98, p. 138; §§ 111-113, pp. 153-155

Single standard, § 199, p. 276

Solitary vice of husbands, § 155, p. 218

Soma, § 29, p. 49

Splitting of libido, § 189, p. 262

Spouse, § 207, p. 289

Steinach, § 105, p. 145

Stekel, W., § 54, p. 89; § 184, p. 251

Stoics, § 33, p. 56

Strength, § 59, p. 93; § 60, p. 94; § 80, p. 118

Study (see _Observation_)

Sublimation, § 104, p. 145

Succession plan, § 112, p. 154; § 113, p. 155; § 115, p. 157; § 118, p. 161

Suggestion, § 166, p. 231

Supremity of male control, § 142, p. 195

Surprise, § 33, p. 56; § 121, p. 165

Surprise of married, p. 15

Synthesis, § 7, p. 11; § 91, p. 131

Talion, § 152, p. 212

Taming of the Shrew, § 20, p. 31

Tension, erotic, § 91, p. 131

Testing, § 72, p. 107; § 114, p. 155; § 121, p. 165; § 136, p. 187; § 137, p. 190; § 150, p. 209; § 151, p. 211; § 152, p. 212; § 160, p. 224

Thesis, § 144, p. 197

Trial marriage, § 41, p. 64; § 207, p. 289

Tumescence, § 81, p. 121; § 91, p. 131

Unconscious affection, § 187, p. 259

Unconscious factor, § 65, p. 99; § 66, p. 100; § 192, p. 267

Unconscious love, § 193, p. 268; § 206, p. 287; § 207, p. 289; § 208, p. 290

Unhappy marriage, §§ 170-186, pp. 236-258

Unity, § 190, p. 263

Variety, § 87, p. 126; § 198, p. 274

Virginity, § 84, p. 124; § 210, p. 292; § 211, p. 293

Virility, § 17, p. 24; § 25, p. 42; § 72, p. 107; § 100, p. 140; § 114, p. 155; § 159, p. 224; § 201, p. 279

Wells, H. G., § 78, p. 113

Wifan (root WIB), § 66, p. 100; § 168, p. 233

Wife, § 170, p. 236

Wife’s helplessness, § 92, p. 132; § 157, p. 221; § 160, p. 224; § 161, p. 225

Woman’s infinite variety, § 87, p. 126

Woman’s lack of positive control, § 133, p. 183

Work, § 50, p. 82