Sex Science

Chicago: The Author. Good. (c.1911). Unstated edition. Hardcover. (no dust jacket) [moderate overall wear, slightly bumped and softened corners, a good sound used copy]. An early sex-education treatise, "a message from a physician to the people upon a subject which vitally concerns the life of man and society," strongly advocating "the importance of an education for [young people] which will lead to purity of mind and thought, and such a knowledge of sexual physiology and instinct was will be a safeguard to them against contamination of evil habits." Just a glance at the table of contents might have been scary enough for the average adolescent of 1911, with its chapter-headings including: "Consequences of Impurity"; "The Mystery of Life and the Consequences of Abortion": "Gonorrhea"; "Chancroid"; "Acute Hydrocele"; "Syphilis"; "Venereal Warts"; "Herpres Progenitalis"; and so on. Fortunately, things seem to have a happyish ending: the final chapter is entitled "Love Necessary to Sexual Purity." A rubber-stamped notice on the title page informs us that after April 30, 1914, the good doctor will be in new offices at 4114 Michigan Avenue. .