Masturbation

“Don’t knock masturbation its sex with someone I love.” (Woody Allen).
From the prehistoric wall paintings to the Masturbate – a – thon’s, masturbation is portrayed as the primary form of sexual activity. Since written records began there has been reference to the sexual practice of masturbation. Old religious records from Egypt show that male masturbation was the most popular creation myth. It was believed that Atum the sun god proceeded to masturbate and the culminating ejaculation formed the river Nile, upon which civilisation depended. Similarly, in Mesopotamian literature, Enki “stood up full of lust like at attacking bull, lifted his penis, ejaculated, and filled the Tigris with flowing water.” Sigmund Freud studied the theory of sexuality and noted that during their earliest infancy children knew that by touching their genitals they would obtain pleasure.

In the nineteenth century it was believed that ‘wankers’ would have health issues such as “insanity, seminal weakness, impotence, dysury, dorsalis, pulmonary consumption, dyspepsia, dimness of sight, vertigo, epilepsy, hydrochondriasis, loss of memory and death.” People were advised never to partake in the sexual activity and only have sexual intercourse to satisfy their needs. If a person was addicted to masturbation then they were advised to take “cold baths, douches, cold hip baths several times a day, moderate and cooling diet and drinks.” As well as “hard mattresses with little clothing.” It was believed that masturbation was self-abuse and most considered the subject anything but gentle and would characterise it as heavy handed.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masturbation
http://www.scarleteen.com/article/how_do_you_masturbate