[Reprinted from The Medical News, August 12, 1893.] 
CURE OF MASTURBATION IN A WOMAN BY 
NEURECTOMY. 
By J. S. EASTMAN, A.M., M.D., 
OF BERKELEY, CAL. 
Either from soreness of heart, disgust, or absolute 
despair, do we not too often neglect the unfortunate class 
of masturbators? We know full well that it is a habit 
that largely prevails, leaving in its wake a destruction of 
nerve-force and blasting lives. Having under my super- 
vision one redeemed from the curse, built up from a 
tottering hopeless helplessness to a useful member of 
society, I am convinced that others can be similarly 
benefited. 
A second reason for reporting this case is that I have 
been unable to find that any one has suggested an easier 
or more efficient relief than I offer. I further think my 
suggestion is in the line of conservative surgery, and 
may help to preserve the sex and spare the ovaries. 
Some of the most prominent gynecologists of New York 
assured me that clitoridectomy would be a perfect relief. 
Experts of San Francisco assured me that ovariotomy 
would bring the desired result. Many others of wide 
repute and experience did not even attempt a reply to 
my inquiry as to what might be best for such a desperate 
case. 
My case was Miss A., twenty-six years of age, who 
came to me in September, 1890. Her hands were cold, 
covered with sweat, and she complained of sleeplessness 
at night. She was pale, haggard, and emaciated; she 2 
avoided society, had lost all interest in books, could not 
read with interest for five minutes. She was desperately 
dejected, and demanded relief. She had begun the habit 
at six years of age-one of the first things learned at 
public school. The indulgence was one or more times 
a week, and even as often as six times in one day. At 
the age of twenty years she had an opportunity Jo in- 
dulge in coition, and repeated it three or four times a 
week, but always without satisfaction, and generally 
with more or less pain. While she had the opportunity 
to have coition she still had sufficient control to enable 
her to resist self-abuse. When she could no longer prac- 
tice coition without prostitution, she sought medical ad- 
vice. Bromids and acid blistering were prescribed, and 
gave less contentment than an ordinary placebo. The 
next treatment was the placing of four silver-wire sutures 
through the labia majora, leaving the meatus urinarius 
free, and with the long curved ends of the silver wire 
pointing into the flesh, so that any manipulation would 
be painful, but still the habit prevailed. The electro- 
cautery was then applied to the parts, but unfortunately 
the resulting irritation aggravated the trouble, and she 
said the act was repeated fifteen times in one day. A 
council of numerous experts was then called. As her 
mother was an epileptic, and as the patient showed such 
symptoms as loss of memory, fainting-spells, and mild 
convulsions, it was decided to perform ovariectomy, from 
which she made a rapid and satisfactory recovery, with- 
out a single untoward symptom. A year rolled by, and 
all things seemed well, when the habit again returned as 
violently as before, and was indulged in both when 
awake and asleep. Then clitoridectomy was performed, 
and gave about three months' rest. But the symptoms 
grew worse than ever. She was now reduced in weight 
to ninety-eight pounds. She again returned to my office, 
and said she would gladly submit to any operation that 
promised relief. Almost in despair, fearing, as had been 3 
suggested, that her trouble was of central origin, I made 
another examination, and found her more sensitive on 
the left side of the vulva than the right. The fact sug- 
gested to»me the desirability of a local paralysis. Ac- 
cordingly, the following morning, in my office, the 
patient was placed under ether. I cut down upon the 
pudic nerve on the left side, and found the nerve very 
considerably hypertrophied, and therefore very easily 
located. I dissected and removed about three inches of 
the nerve, sewed up the wound, and sent the patient 
home in her carriage. The wound healed promptly ; the 
patient expressed herself as relieved from anxiety, and 
better in her general feeling than ever before. She has 
gained in weight from one to three pounds each month, 
until she now weighs 132 pounds instead of 98. She 
has become a great reader, enjoys company, sleeps well, 
and in every way seems restored to a normal condition. 
Many acquaintances have remarked how she has changed 
in manner, character, and looks, and she says: " the best 
of it all is I feel so much better." 
Not only have all these desirable changes been 
wrought, but she has been absolutely free from her curse 
since the day the nerve was resected, which is now one 
year and a half ago. Of course, one case is not con- 
clusive, but certain remarkable features of this case 
suggest the advisability of cutting out the nerve rather 
than the clitoris or ovaries, and it is certainly much the 
more simple operation.