Chapter — Marc, Institutiones Morales
CHAPTER I: On Chastity and Lust in General
St. Thomas, 2.2, q. 151-156; St. Alphonsus, III, 412; ed. G., I, p. 665; Sporer-Bierbaum, III, n. 467 ff.; Gopfert, II, 316; Genicot, Theol. mor., I, 387; Antonelli, Med. past., II, 160 ff.; Eschbach, Disp. phys.; Tanquerey, Suppl. de Castit.; Sani, de 6 Praec.; Berardi, Theol. mor., II, p. 333 (ed. 1905); Noldin, de Sexto (ed. 13); Capellmann, Pastoralmed. (ed. 16), p. 128; Gemelli, Non moechaberis.
- Things to be noted beforehand. The Author of nature implanted in each sex a generative power ordered to this most excellent end, that through the natural intercourse of man and woman in legitimate matrimony, the human species may be propagated and conserved. But the pleasure that accompanies the act of this power rightly concurs unto the same end insofar as it draws men to a thing very burdensome in its consequences; it is ordered to the common good, not to private good.
But for a fuller understanding of this treatise and of the other on Matrimony, we judge that a few things must be said concerning those things that regard human generation, reduced to the norm of more recent physiologists.
In the man, three organs especially serve for generation: the testicles, in which the semen is prepared; the seminal vesicles, in which the semen is preserved; the urinary tube (the male member, the rod) through which the semen is cast forth. In the female likewise three organs are numbered: the ovary, in which the little egg matures; the womb (uterus), into which the little egg proceeds; the vagina, which extends from the uterus to the external part of the body. The mouth of this canal is closed by a thin membrane, which they call the hymen, the seal of virginity.
Generation is distinguished into active and passive. Active generation, to which the highest pleasure is attached, is the same as copulation, concubitus, coitus, and consists in this, that the male member is introduced into the vagina of the female and the male semen is ejaculated in the female vessel. It is the connatural act by which generation is made possible, so that generation itself ought to follow unless something stands in the way. Passive generation is conception, or the conjunction of the masculine semen with the female little egg.
Therefore the man concurs toward generation by providing prolific semen, or sperm, which is a certain fluid secreted by the testicles of the man, containing little bodies called spermatozoa, by which it is rendered prolific. But the woman concurs in this, that she supplies the little egg to be fecundated by the spermatozoa. If at the moment of copulation, or at a time more or less distant, she has a mature little egg, and if the semen of the man meets this little egg, a conjunction is produced and the spermatozoa fecundate the little egg, whence conception arises. But the little eggs are torn away from the female testes, which are called ovaries. This tearing away is sometimes accelerated by lust, but of itself it happens without lust and spontaneously among individual females almost in individual months, or perhaps more often.
But whether the female concurs toward generation through an effusion of fluid, or semination, which she has in the act of copulation? Several among the ancients (thus the Scotists with Galen) affirmed that the semen of the woman is necessary for generation, but today (as Aristotle and St. Thomas already held) it is certain that no semen properly so called is present in women in that fluid which, either inwardly (as more often), or outwardly, is poured forth from the vulvo-vaginal glands. Physicians think that that semen improperly so called is useful for generation, but not necessary. And indeed this opinion already seemed more probable to St. Alphonsus (VI, 918).
Menstruation (in French: les regles, les epoques) accompanies ovulation and at the same time is very useful to the health of the woman. This is common blood which, as soon as the severance of some mature little egg from the ovary presses, flows more abundantly to the uterus, both indeed that by its heat it may meet the great work of ovulation to be duly performed, and that it may furnish nourishment to the new fetus, if perchance it is conceived. This flow of blood is called menstrual because for the most part it is accustomed to return on the 28th day, or in individual lunar months (and also a little more frequently), from the time of puberty up to menopause (which ordinarily in our regions happens between the 40th and 50th year), and regularly lasts for 2 or 3 days. During the time of this flow, women suffer various pains rather than feel venereal pleasure.
It is also to be noted that eunuchs and the impubescent lack semen. Males in our regions rarely attain puberty before the completed 15th year; but before the 18th year their semen is not accustomed to be prolific.
Among those who have reached puberty there sometimes occurs a morbid and frequent flow of semen, which in men is called gonorrhea, in women white flow or leucorrhea. Gonorrhea for the most part is a certain species of syphilis and therefore contagious; pregnant women not rarely suffer from white flow. By certain ancients (for example Croix, apud St. Alph., VI, 910), the leucorrhea of women is called gonorrhea.
According to today's physicians, semen is not corrupted, because a part of the semen, having gone out beyond its seat, is either absorbed or expelled. Therefore we shall purposely omit the questions of the older theologians looking to this.
The effusion of semen is to be distinguished most exactly from distillation. This is a certain subtler fluid, coming from the prostatic gland and mucous membrane of the urethra. In the effusion of semen, ordinarily the semen is ejaculated with vehement pleasure and movement of the flesh; but in distillation, the fluid ordinarily flows out drop by drop, with light or even no pleasure and almost no movement of the flesh. Besides, it can occur even in the impubescent, indeed also in the castrated.
By carnal movements, venereal movements, there is understood a certain tendency toward the effusion of semen, manifesting itself ordinarily through erection of the male member or of the female clitoris, joined with pleasure. This erection has as its cause blood flowing together to those members, on account of various causes. But from venereal and pleasurable erection is to be distinguished purely natural erection, which is had from a merely physical cause and without any sense of pleasure (Aertnys, Theol. mor., l. III, n. 219).
On knowledge of the sexual matter. Authors have much disputed what ought to be done concerning instructing sons (and daughters) about the sexual matter. To not a few, even Catholics, the theory was pleasing concerning the virtue and efficacy of full physiological knowledge, to be handed on to each one from tender years, for restraining the impulse of immorality. Ignorance, so they say, is the parent of all evils. Yet to others, and those weighing all things wisely, it has seemed that this theory, if ever it is brought into practice without cautions, renders a flood of lasciviousness unavoidable. Hence they established the following: a) Children before all things are to be educated in virtue, love of God, and horror of sin. b) As premature knowledge of the sexual matter is dangerous, so also is ignorance too long protracted with respect to this matter. The latter sharpens curiosity and exposes the incautious to seduction; the former kindles the fire of lust. c) Therefore knowledge of these things is to be given, but increased gradually, according to the age, necessity, and virtue of adolescents. d) It belongs to those persons to teach children these things to whom God has entrusted the office of watching over them: such as parents, guardians, or, in some cases, prudent and God-fearing outside persons. For two things are owed to a child: charity and reverence. Cf. Gatterer-Krus, Education de la Chastete; Forster, Sexualethik u. Sexualpadagogik; Linz. Quart. Schr., vol. 61, p. 45 and 783; Ami du Cl., 1911, p. 406.