Sex efficiency through exercises : special physical culture for women / by Th. H. van de Velde ; [photos, by E. Steinemann].
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instead of attitudes which cause the fluid to ebb towards and out of the orifice. Among the former attitudes there are especially two sets of possibilities: the knee-elbow, or quadrupedal, and the recumbent attitude with the coccyx raised so far as possible. These two attitudes may, either of them, be supplemented by deliberate contraction of the perivaginal muscles, and in two ways : either by the C. C. continuing to clasp the phallus so that it acts as a natural seal or plug, or by a general contraction of the whole pelvic floor, which draws the vagina tight as though to prevent the escape of excessive menstrual discharge or liquids used in douching. (This needs a vigorous contractile power.) And, finally, the L. V. may act during the summit of coitus by contracting and pressing the glans penis firmly against the uterine portio vaginalis in the moments of emission. I have treated these points more fully in Chapters V. and XIII. of " Fertility and Sterility in Marriage." The L. V. may not only favour fertilisation, it may also help to avert it when undesired. This requires energetic muscular action, together with conscious dilation of the outer C. C. The L. V. propels or expels the fluid ejaculate downward and out of the vagina. As will be evident, this is only possible for women with highly trained and co- ordinated pelvic and perivaginal muscles, such as are aimed at by the exercise we have described as No. 10 (Pelvic Lunges with Feet slightly apart in the Second Position). We have now to consider the finer shades of muscular action in the superficial area of the pelvic floor. There is certainly great individual difference in structure among women in this region ; on this, all anatomists are in agreement, although their definitions and descriptions are somewhat contra- dictory/2^ Nevertheless, some women are able to exercise and control these mechanisms so that they have an appreci- able effect, as is confirmed by gynaecologists. And, nota bene, the women who can use their C. C. and L. V. muscles at will are more likely to excel here than those who are not adepts, for instance, in the deliberate conscious dilation, opening or expansion of the vaginal introitus. This may be