A Treatise on the Crime of Onan (eBook), M. Tissot

Description

Originally published in the eighteenth century, A Treatise on the Crime of Onan by Swiss physician Samuel-Auguste Tissot is one of the most famous and controversial medical works of its era. First appearing in the 1760s, the book reflects the beliefs of Enlightenment-era medicine regarding the supposed physical and psychological dangers of masturbation and excessive sexual activity.

Tissot’s treatise compiles medical observations, case studies, and quotations from classical authorities such as Hippocrates, Galen, and other physicians to argue that the loss of “seminal fluid” could lead to a wide range of illnesses, including weakness, nervous disorders, blindness, and even death. The author presents numerous anecdotal cases and medical theories in an attempt to demonstrate the severe consequences he believed resulted from what he called “self-pollution.”

Although modern science has long rejected these claims, the book remains historically important. Tissot’s work played a major role in shaping European and American attitudes toward sexuality during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It influenced medical thought, moral discourse, and even social practices surrounding education, health, and bodily discipline.

Today, A Treatise on the Crime of Onan is best understood as a fascinating artifact of medical history. It offers modern readers insight into how earlier generations attempted to interpret the human body, sexuality, and morality through the lens of early scientific theory.

This digital edition preserves the original historical text for readers interested in the history of medicine, sexuality, and Enlightenment-era medical thought.