Throughout history masturbation was thought to be the cause for: growing hair on the palms of your hand, blindness, disturbances of the stomach and digestion, loss of appetite or ravenous hunger, vomiting, nausea, weakening of the organs, difficulty breathing, coughing, hoarseness, paralysis, weakening of the male sex organ to the point of impotence, lack of libido, back pain, disorders of the eye and ear, total diminution of bodily powers, paleness, thinness, pimples on the face, decline of intellectual powers, loss of memory, attacks of rage, madness, idiocy, epilepsy, fever and finally suicide, just to name a few of the "laundry list" of ailments associated with masturbation.The famous Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas believed that masturbation was a worse sin than rape, incest, and adultery because in these other sins procreation is a possibility (the potential to produce a child).Some outlandish medical cures for the practice of masturbation included:CastrationStraight jacket pajamasErection alertsStapling shut the foreskinA little suit of armor that fit over penis and testiclesA spermatorrhea ring (available from the Sears catalog), that fit along the base of the penis with spikes on its inner lining to prevent erection.Corn flakes cerealReverend Sylvester Graham, believed masturbation brought on a host of illnesses and diseases. Because he was a sickly person, the young Graham became obsessed with health. He advocated use of whole wheat for bread, hard mattresses, open windows, fresh fruits and vegetables, pure drinking water, and cheerfulness at meals (apparently revolutionary ideas at the time), so he developed Graham Crackers to prevent people from masturbating! Reverend Graham advocated living a healthy lifestyle through healthy foods, physical fitness, and sexual abstinence. Particularly, he advocated abstinence from masturbation. Reverend Graham’s successor continuing this philosophy, was a man named Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.Dr. John H. Kellogg was a puritanical person, (practiced strict religious or moral behaviors), a man who believed in mind over body. He hated the animal part of our nature (hated that people got turned on and aroused "horny"); and, also believed sexual intercourse only necessary once a month (during a woman's most fertile time so pregnancy could occur). He encouraged patients to suppress their sexual appetites. He never had sexual intercourse with his wife, (but adopted over 30 children). This physician was so anti-masturbation and intercourse that it bordered on insanity. He was a very influential and a highly published physician. But Dr. Kellogg upped the ante and decided that women also should not engage in intercourse and not masturbate either. He developed the Corn Flakes cereal to suppress sexual desire.Consequently; it turns out that some of our most loved snacks and breakfast foods are actually anti-intercourse and anti-masturbation foods! Both Reverend Graham and Dr. Kellogg were proponents of a theory that denounced masturbation and intercourse so they created these foods in the belief that they could curb one’s sexual desire. So you see if you eat graham crackers and corn flakes (including Frosted Flakes-one of my faves) you'll not masturbate or want to have sex (intercourse)...NOT!! ;o)Assignment:What are your beliefs?Answer the following questions in 75 words or less and respond to at least one other student's post, (include the name of the student you respond to), no reference required:Do you think mutual masturbation (masturbating each other usually at the same time) is more intimate than sexual intercourse? Why or why not?Why are so many people embarrassed by masturbation?If you caught your child masturbating what would you say and/or do?What messages did you receive from your parents about masturbation?If you caught your partner masturbating what would you say and/or do?Should masturbation be taught as a safer sex technique? Why or why not?Do you think everyone should masturbate? Why or why not?