Yet the evil tendencies may as a rule be counteracted by directing the children in right paths and giving them occupations which will bring forth healthy minds in sound bodies. Success may more confidently be looked for in the upbuilding of character and physique if the child is early sent in the right direction, and his virtues will then overcome his hereditary weaknesses. Powerful though the reversional heritages of both injurious and beneficial qualities undoubtedly are, yet of even greater importance is the influence of the external surroundings, or environment, on the child of occupation, of ideals which are set before him, of imitation, of curiosity, or of cultivation of vice.
"Environment is the cooperating and to us vitally important factor, inasmuch as it may supplement and thus reinforce the hereditary tendencies, whether good or bad; or it may even tend to turn them into new channels, correcting the evil or vitiating the good".
It must be borne in mind that suggestions received in childhood are prone to have a preponderating influence on the whole future life of the individual in an abnormal or normal direction; so that the surroundings of children must be considered, and they must be watched and protected both against contamination by evil companions and from local causes of irritation in the genital area.
It is unfair to a child to permit him to be unclean in his genitals, and so he must be taught, as a part of his daily ablutions, to retract the foreskin and to wash away the smegma which is secreted by the inner mucous lining of that integumentary covering; otherwise it often undergoes an am moniacal decomposition, becomes foul smelling and keeps up a constant source of discomfort. Better by far would it be if all boys were circumcised, for that safeguard practically excludes all possibility of local irritation and has not a single argument in its disfavor. In this event there is no necessity of paying the slightest attention to the cleanliness of the genitals any more than to other parts of the body. The Jews that circumcised nation who to this day remain as the "standing astonishment of the world" are a notoriously prolific race, comparatively free from masturbation and venereal diseases.
Curiosity and imitation, as is well known, are almost apishly shown by active children always with a tendency to go beyond any evil example which is set, and, if not warned, they are in peril of falling under the influence of older companions of depraved proclivities. The young boy enjoys the act of masturbation but little, and is often spurred on by the influence of banter and ridicule, without, as a rule, any definite comprehension of wrong. In fact, most persons who have practised this vice have never received careful warning when young. There is no danger of corrupting a pure child by a properly given admonition, telling him that he will probably see others committing the sinful act of play with their private parts, and appealing to him to shun all such companions.
Can it be possible to keep a bright child's mind free from sexual matters when he sees sexual acts among the dogs and the cats, in the poultry yard and around the barn; when he reads things in the papers which excite his wonder; when he sees the flaring posters of ballet dancers; when he comes into contact with badly brought-up schoolmates? No, it is impossible, unless he is reared up as a delicate, soft skinned, girlish boy, and for such the danger is even greater than for the boy of the street. In each individual's character self stands out prominently in fact self represents the individual. Therefore it is this self which must be early regulated so that the child may become self-governed, self-masterful, self-respecting and self-controlled, all of which requires an effort of repression and mastery. This represents the acme of effective education. Otherwise he must necessarily become self-willed, self-indulgent, self-abased, self-polluted and selfish.
It is most highly desirable that the sexes should be encouraged to find pleasure in each other's society, and that they should not stay too much apart; for they are the natural complements of each other, and bring out, by the stimulus of friendship, the best qualities in one another. And yet we must discountenance any marked preference for the opposite sex, discouraging girls from being tom boys and boys from playing girlish games, for these are evils of a specially dangerous tendency. One of the best ways to develop the moral natures of children is by play, which, as every observer of child nature knows, is essential for the making of a fine man or woman. This play element, furthermore, should be kept active throughout life, for in this way one's mind is kept bright, one's character generous and companionable, and one's physique hearty and strong. Boys should be encouraged to excel in manly sports to ride, row, swim, etc.; to have deep chests and hard muscles, to play hard and to study hard. An athletic boy will hardly fall into great harm, and to the discipline of his muscles there is added a still greater discipline to his mind, and character, and pluck, and inflexibility and manliness. "With all this care it will be an idle effort if the child is left to grow up without moral and religious precepts which will equip him with a normal conscience as a mentor of his actions to inhibit his evil passions.
Medicinal treatment for the effects of masturbation plays a secondary rob, but is not without benefit in suitable cases. The functional disease of the heart, the digestive disturbances, the dimness of vision, the hang dog countenance, and all the other stigmata of the vice, rapidly disappear, as a rule, with the abandonment of the practice.