Different articles of food have been mentioned as contributing more than any others to excite the genital powers. Among them are found _fishes_. It would seem that this quality has long been attributed to them; this opinion however has not been received by moderns with much credit until it was admitted doubtingly by Montesquieu. (_Del l’esprit des lois_, Book xxiii. ch. 15.) Many authors have admitted this to be fact on the authority of this great man, and then instead of investigating whether it was true or not have attempted to assign the reasons for it. Thus the prolifick virtue of fish has been said to depend on the aromatics and other condiments with which they are prepared; on their seasoning: on the phosphorus contained in their flesh and more particularly in their milt: and by this fact, that populations on the sea-coast live almost exclusively on fish. This has been carried still farther: the parts of fishes which furnish the most of the seminal material have been determined: and this property has been ascribed to the milt, either because the semen is here secreted, or on account of the phosphorus which Fourcroy and Vauquelin have discovered in it. Some fishes however are thought to induce venereal passions more than others.
We have attempted to find the origin of this opinion in regard to fish but without success. In fact it has not the support of popular notoriety which arises insensibly from daily observation. Thus Benoislon has proved directly by statistical facts that fecundity is not greater among the inhabitants of maritime coasts than among those who live in other places. (_Bulletin de Férussac_, Jan., 1827.) Villermé has noticed that in Greenland and among the Esquimaux, who live principally on fish, on sea-calves, that is, aliments, containing these oily parts, which are regarded as so prolific, women have rarely more than two or three children during their life. Besides if fish has the property ascribed to it, why is it that during Lent, that period of the year when this form of food is most used, the procreative power should be most inactive; a fact which is proved from documents collected in almost every country by the laborious investigations of Villermé. (_Annales d’hygiene publ._, Jan. 1831.) Hence it is extremely improbable that fish possesses this property, which it is important to establish in order not to discard from the regimen of youth, an article of diet which being both nutritious and slightly stimulating, is well adapted to prevent genital excitement or to subdue it.