Sex efficiency through exercises : special physical culture for women / by Th. H. van de Velde ; [photos, by E. Steinemann].
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many other reasons at the present day. A word of warning may be of some service here. Either of the exercises of the pelvic and abdominal zone and those of the pelvic floor, and especially both in combination, are of great help in speeding up the circulation of the blood stream through the internal genital organs and thus promot- ing metabolism, i.e., growth. Thus, the arrested develop- ment or infantilism of these organs which is so frequent, may be counteracted and in time cured. I must also mention the possibility, or even likelihood that some cases of painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea) may be favourably influenced through improved local circulation. The same may be said of certain cases of leucorrhea; but vaginal discharges may be of much more serious origin than simple leucorrhea and, owing to their diversity of causes, it would be unwise to rely too much—or only !—on exercises, to deal with these distressing symptoms. In all cases of vaginal discharge a doctor must be consulted. The effect of pelvic exercises on obstinate constipation would demand a whole chapter for itself, were it to be treated in any detail. But it must suffice to say, first of all, that such obstinate constipation is in constant interaction with the genital functions and " fitness " (or " unfitness " !) of women who suffer from it, and is a focus of toxins. The bad effect is both chemical and mechanical, local and general. Mechanical, because the rectum is in close proximity to the vagina and uterus, and a rectum overloaded with solid faeces presses painfully on the tender adjacent genitalia. And the auto-intoxication of the whole body and irritation of temper and torpor of brain, rapidly caused by these excremental toxins, act most harmfully on the whole sexual system. Chronic constipation deflects local circulation, it promotes haemorrhoids, or piles, with all their pain and inconvenience; it presses on the nerve centres, causing neuralgic pains in the lower back and bowels, and the over- loaded and distended ampulla recti may push the vagina forwards and make insertion and coition difficult and painful. Even though I am not prepared fully to endorse the opinion • 2