Since the
1850s and early world war two, male chastity belts were produced for the sole
purpose to prevent masturbation for health. It was believed that if you
masturbated too much it could cause different types of cancer, insanity, blindness,
and death[i].
This is also why circumcision became so popular. There was a campaign that ran
in the early 1900s that promoted circumcision helping stop masturbation. About 50 to 60 percent of children were being circumcised
at this time, which is about the same as today[ii].
For the boys who were not circumcised, they were threatened to be circumcised
if they did not stop themselves. Some doctors were known to have also tried
pharmacological methods of depressant drugs to prevent masturbation[iii].
However, it was seen as ineffective or too extreme so the practice was
discontinued. In the eighteenth century, more Christian related publication was
released to prevent masturbation. There were publications such as, “The anonymous
Onania” and “The heinous sin of self-pollution”[iv].
Historians have said that much of the medical analysis of masturbation was just
moral exhortation disguised as medical rhetoric, obviously. However there are
many more “treatments” that were used that are even more horrific. Such as, as
infibulation of the foreskin, vasectomy, cauterization of the urethra,
insertion of electrodes into the penis or anus, puncturing the prostate with
needles, castration and circumcision. Ironically, people would get diseases from
these procedures[v].
Doctors went on to continue blaming it on too much masturbation instead of
admitting their own incompetence. At
this time they did not have the medicine to cure these diseases anyways. There has been a recording of this going on
for children up into the age of twenty three. One twenty three year old was
diagnosed with masturbatory insanity and was sent to a mental institution.
Where he was then put in a straitjacket for two months and finally had an
operation. After that he was released, he did not masturbate for four months[vi].
In the eighteenth century, there was a lot of masturbatory phobia because
people knew the consequences of masturbating were brutality in order to cure
them, such as, this and circumcision without anesthetic. It almost appears that
the chastity devices would have been lighter and better to be prescribed than
these to have these operations done. Strangely, there are still chastity belts
used today. However, it is used in the BDSM and dominatrix community instead of
prevention for health. Typically used by a female dom to restrain a sub or
slave from being able to use his penis without the dom’s consent.
[i]
Moore, Crystal. “Masturbation and the Rise of Reform Physiology.” Lecture,
History of Sex from UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, March 18, 2014.
[ii] Darby, Robert. "The masturbation taboo and the rise of
routine male circumcision: A review of the historiography - Review Essay."
Circumcision Information and Resource Pages. Last modified November 11, 2006.
http://www.cirp.org/library/history/darby4/.
[iii] Darby, Robert. "The masturbation taboo and the rise of
routine male circumcision: A review of the historiography - Review Essay."
Circumcision Information and Resource Pages. Last modified November 11, 2006.
http://www.cirp.org/library/history/darby4/.
[iv] Moore,
Crystal. “Masturbation and the Rise of Reform Physiology.” Lecture, History of
Sex from UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, March 18, 2014.
[v] Darby, Robert. "The masturbation taboo and the rise of
routine male circumcision: A review of the historiography - Review Essay."
Circumcision Information and Resource Pages. Last modified November 11, 2006.
http://www.cirp.org/library/history/darby4/.
[vi] Darby, Robert. "The masturbation taboo and the rise of
routine male circumcision: A review of the historiography - Review Essay."
Circumcision Information and Resource Pages. Last modified November 11, 2006.
http://www.cirp.org/library/history/darby4/.
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