There is one phase of sexual matters that physiological writers seldom allude to, but which should be understood by married people, viz.: the position of their bodies during the nuptial act. Any unnatural performance of this act is apt to impair the health of the female, and many women have been seriously injured and rendered miserable for life by the beastliness of their husbands in this respect. Unnatural positions will cause derangements and bearing down of the womb, produce fluor albus, or whites, and sometimes will originate tumors and fungi in the private parts. A woman of delicate mould and constitution might be fatally injured in this manner; and no female, however robust, can enjoy sexual intercourse except in the position intended by Nature. For a full and perfect enjoyment of sexual pleasures, there must be first a mutual fondness or sentimental feeling, called love. Where this does not exist, the married pair should, in their associations, endeavor to be in as good humor as possible, and to tolerate each other’s caresses with the hope that love may grow between them. Marriages have occurred where the bride felt an antipathy almost amounting to disgust towards the embraces of her husband, but afterwards, on a close intimacy and free acquaintance, became not only reconciled, but really fond of him. Delicacy and watchfulness on the part of the husband will often enable him to make himself agreeable to a woman who at first has no sympathy with him whatever. From the peculiar organization of females, there are times when a husband’s caresses may be unpleasant and irksome even to a loving wife: if he is reasonable and consciencious, he will not fail to observe this, and will abstain from intruding on her privicy on such occasions.

A man who will force his caresses upon his wife can be ranked only with “the brutes that perish.” Of this class also are those who “go in unto their wives” after the manner of brutes. The natural position to which we have alluded suggests itself to every married pair who possess the most remote particle of love for each other. But to make it unmistakable, we would say, that the female should lie upon her back, with her legs straight down—or if the legs are raised, they should be but slightly elevated. All other positions are unnatural and unhealthy. I could illustrate this fact by several cases in point, but the details are too disgusting. Suffice it then to say, that I have known females suffering from painful diseases caused by sexual connection in a standing position—in a position where their partners approached them from behind, and also in one case where the woman was forced or persuaded to lie on her back with her knees up against her chest. No female can desire such intercourse as this, because she cannot enjoy it. It is therefore the libidinous antics of her companion that compels her to it. Very few men of decent breeding require the caution I have here given, but if there be half-a-dozen who profit by it, I shall be compensated for thus alluding to a delicate subject.