The Baneful Habit; or, Keep taking the Nervous Cordial

[wolfinthewood]

SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO YOUTH OF BOTH SEXES

A certain disorder which both sexes are strongly addicted to, which rages at the present period with dreadful violence, and that which renders it more lamentable is, its being of so particular a nature, that it will not permit the unhappy sufferers to discover their disorder, and often precipitates them to a very early age silently to the grave, i. e. Onanism, Genesis, chap. xxxviii. verse 9 and 10. “The Lord smote Onan with instant death.”

This pernicious habit is the total destruction of the whole system, it introduces nervous consumptive disorders, palsy, lassitude, and causes a weakness in every part of the human frame, especially towards the loins, and is often treated, by the most eminent Physicians, as a disorder of a different tendency, as a venereal obstruction, &c. Through the timidity of the patient they are prevented from relief, not discovering the real cause of their complaint.

An instance occurred to me a few days since. A Captain from the East Indies being on the point of marriage, who laboured under a dreadful consumption, and was apprehensive matrimonial engagements would be detrimental to the restoration of his health, informed me, that previous to his going to the Indies, he had been injur’d, by the venereal disease, and at the time of his applying to me, [was un]der the direction of an eminent Physician, but fou[nd him]self every day weaker and more relaxed. After a [??? ex]amination, I found not the least symptom of a venereal taint, which induced me to enforce the question to him, whether he had ever been addicted to that baneful habit, to which he candidly acknowledged that he had. I recommended to him the Nervous Cordial, which he took for six weeks, and is now perfectly restored.

A young Lady of Family and fortune, whose disorder was treated as a cancer, which in fact was not, it being an inflammation brought on by the above practice, and through the very great danger of the complaint, and the wish of being restored, she was prevailed on by the entreaties of a favoured servant, at the instance of the mother, to own her indiscretion, and discover the real cause of her complaint: she acknowledged being addicted to that pernicious habit for several years, by being initiated to that practice at a Boarding School. By my advice she took the Nervous Cordial, used fomentations, and was in two months recovered to perfect health.

Various and numerous instances might be mentioned, but as it is a subject which, with any degree of delicacy, cannot be mentioned, I have at present declined publishing them.

Advice so essential as is recommended in the Doctor’s publication, entitled, “A Guide to Old Age, or a Cure for the Errors and indiscretions of Youth,” will prevent the horrors attendant; and neither young persons, nor those of maturer years, should be a moment without having it in their possession.*

N. B. It may be had of all Booksellers, and vendors of Medicines, in the three kingdoms, price 3s. 6d. with the Doctor’s Portrait, and Observations on Cold and Hot Bathing.

The Botanical Syrup and Restorative Nervous Cordial to be had at the Doctor’s, No. 9, Albion-street, the Bottles at 1l. 2s. 11s. 6d. and 5s. 5d. (duty included). [Long list of shops selling the Nervous Cordial omitted.]

It will be necessary the Doctor should see such Patients as are afflicted with Deafness or loss of Sight.

The Medicines may be had every day. The Bottles at 1l. 2s. contain equal to five at 5s. 5d.

Advice every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, at the Doctor’s house.

* This must be A guide to old age, or a cure for the indiscretions of youth. By William Brodum, M.D. In two volumes. 1795.


from The Courier and Evening Gazette, Saturday 1 August, 1795


Oh, I love research. And no, this wasn’t what I was looking for, at all.


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Comments

[cassandre.livejournal.com]

At least it's a very gender-egalitarian perspective, directed at young people of both sexes!

[wolfinthewood.livejournal.com]

True. I must say, I'd like to know more about what went on at that Boarding School.

[oursin.livejournal.com]

Girls' boarding schools, according to writers on the Sin of Onan, were festering cesspits of VICE: H T Kitchener in Letters on marriage, on the causes of matrimonial infidelity, and on the reciprocal relations of the sexes (1812), has an extended tangential riff on the subject.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

It's all true!

[oursin.livejournal.com]

Keep taking the Nervous Cordial

And get those hands out of your pockets!

[wolfinthewood.livejournal.com]

Is that why it is considered 'low' to keep one's hands in one's pockets? Or was, when I was a child. I never thought about that before. I thought it was just another of those rules that adults invented so they could chivvy and nag the young.

[oursin.livejournal.com]

I think it was considered general sloppiness of posture e.g. when walking in the street; but I've also come across late C19th warnings about self-abuse which suggest sewing up pockets or ensuring that boys' trousers don't have them, so that they can't sit in class and fiddle with themselves.