9
believing that it was injuring the sexual organs and that it was a sin before God practised by a large portion of this community, puts forth this book. It is laid before the Medical Association of the United States it not only received their approval, but they award to him the gold medal. The subject can be treated of by him in this little book and in a way which may he regarded as to a very serious extent obscene, if spoken of in the family circle or in the drawing room.
It is believed that that book has been very beneficial to the community, so much so that he has just published and has now for sale at the various leading bookstores in this city a work called "Why Is It" a work addressed to the male portion of the population upon the same subject. We say to you, gentlemen, then, that this publication of ours was issued with the same motive over the name of Dr. Landis as you will see when you read the title page, not put forth secretly in order to sell the book upon the street without regard to the morals of the community, but entered in the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and sold by him as a physician, intended for the use of the adult population.
I think if we succeed in showing to you that Dr. Landis is a physician; that he is in considerable practice here, perhaps an extensive practice, I do not know to what extent; if we succeed in bringing before you medical gentlemen of high standing who say they have read this book, and that they regard it as a scientific publication and that the motive of its publication was for the benefit of the human family and that they believe many persons have been benefitted in the circle of this practice by it, I think you will agree with me that it is not obscene. I have been informed since I have been engaged in this case that there are various books sold here in secret. We do not come within this class of publications; we publish openly; and we sell openly in connection with our practice, led to it by the many cases of injuries brought before us and the impropriety of the conduct of the parties in this connection. Now I think gentlemen, if we succeed in doing that, that you must acquit the defendant; you must find that his motive was that of a scientific man with a view of benefitting the human family, whatever the book may be. If it is ten times worse than that which is set forth, and you find that he is a scientific man, a physician of high standing, and the book is published with the intent to benefit the human family yon cannot convict the defendant. You must put it upon the other ground that this book belongs to the Fanny Hill publications which pander to the sensual appetite and injure the rising generation; but his motive was the selling the book for a beneficial end; but if you find that his motive was to sell the book to make money you will convict him, and his Honor upon the bench convinced by you that that is a fact will give him the whole penalty of the law. I think we shall be able to clearly satisfy you that there was no criminal motive and to satisfy His Honor upon the bench who will look carefully into this matter and deliver the charge to you when we have closed. I think that we will be able to show to you by our medical testimony that it seems to have become necessary that this character of information should be conveyed to the adult members of the community; that there has been so much carelessness and as this book says so much beastly behavior among a large portion of the male community, that some information is necessary upon that subject just as it was supposed by Dr. Storer and printed by him and presented to the Medical Association of the United States, that it should bring home to every family the impropriety of destroying the foetus at an early state of conception injuring the individual, destroying their constitution and preventing us from having the population God intended us to have.
We shall endeavor to show to you by our medical testimony that a large amount of disease is caused by impropriety in these matters, by the want of knowledge; that it was necessary that this publication should be made and that its intent is to guard the people before it becomes too late; to guard
