_Satyriasis._――Not the female _only_, suffers from an ungovernable
venereal desire, but the male also is, at times, the subject of a
disease, analogous to nymphomania of the female. Such is the disease
termed satyriasis. A young married man says to me, in the following
forcible language, “My penis is stiff all night. I can’t let my wife
rest, and she is nearly dead, and I am tired out myself; but as soon as
I see a woman, my penis rears up like the proud standard of Wellington.
What shall I do?” His penis became erect while I was examining it. I
could not see anything unnatural, only it was enormously large. He
had not been a debauché, neither had he masturbated to any degree
of injury. There was no spermatorrhœa. He said that it required a
more than ordinarily long time to bring about venereal orgasm, after
which erection would remain in situ until he went to the hydrant and
drenched his penis in cold water; but as soon as he went back to bed
with his wife his penis would become erect immediately. He had suffered
a month in this manner. He had not been a very amorous man before
this, but confessed having obtained and enjoyed a usually temperate
allowance previous to marriage. This patient had always been of a
robust appearance, but when he consulted me was beginning to look worn
and anxious, with sunken eyes from want of sleep and mental unrest. He
suffered from pain in his back, head and through his lumbar spine. Deep
pressure revealed tenderness over sacrum and last lumbar vertebra. His
general symptoms were those of spinal hyperæmia.
_Treatment._――Bromide potassium, grs. xx, 3 times a day, with general
Faradisation and central galvanization (after the method of Beard &
Rockwell), soon gave him relief, and after ten applications no more
difficulty was experienced; but a number of months was required before
his general health was restored.
The symptoms of spinal hyperæmia were very prominent in this case,
viz., pain in the cord, not affected by digital pressure, increased
by lying down and diminished by sitting. His erections were not
troublesome, only when he was in bed lying on his back: this point it
will be well to remember. Many of the symptoms so commonly existing in
spinal hyperæmia are absent.
Many cases occur of a peripheral origin, from inflammation of the
mucous membrane of the urethra or prepuce. Gonorrhœa commonly causes
a peripheral satyriasis; but this soon passes away and is of minor
importance compared to the disease which is intended as the premise
of this chapter. Morbid erections appear without erotic desire, and
peripheral causes commonly give rise to this condition. It may not
be properly considered a disease, as it is so commonly symptomatic
of spinal hyperæmia. And never, as yet, have I observed this morbid
exaltation of the amative desire without spinal symptoms, with the
usual diagnostic signs of spinal hyperæmia of the posterior columns.
The treatment, to be followed by success, must be of such a character
as will relieve any centric local hyperæmia, and as such treatment
seems to give relief is additional evidence of centric turgescence.
As a treatment for the disease, bromide of potass and ergot must be
administered in large doses, with the addition of galvanism alternated
with Faradisation. Cleanliness of the genitalia is indispensable, as
well as the removal of any morbid condition or irritating influence.
Satyriasis may exist as a very troublesome reflex condition in many
painful affections of proximate regions; indurations, hæmorrhoids and
cancer of the rectum, irritation of the bladder or prostate gland, or
by caluli in either bladder or pelvis of the kidney.
_Case._――Jno. C. consulted me on numerous occasions for troublesome
erections. His kidneys were painful under a mild Faradic current;
his water was high-colored and urethra contracted in calibre, with
folicular inflammation periodically appearing, and giving great
annoyance by the discharge produced. Dilatation of the urethra to full
size has finally given permanent relief from the most troublesome
morbid erections, and other reflex nervous manifestations.
In such cases, no agent controls reflex irritations like bromide
potassium; but it must be given in large doses. When causes cannot
be removed, the satyriasis may or may not pass away by appropriate
management, or it may be controlled temporarily and return again. I
have more than once known this condition to appear and reappear in
cancer of the rectum and testes, which was a troublesome feature, with
intervals, during the existence of the patient.
The local causes, if possible, must be removed.
For the treatment of spinal congestion, see page 92.