During the 18th and 19th centuries a great deal of confusion had prevailed in the Western world regarding the question of masturbation. The Judeo-Christian tradition had condemned the process as a sinful offshoot of human nature while at the same time the "Great Awakening" a series of revolutions in the USA, was bringing a new air of romantic liberation to the world.
At the same time, books such as "Ononia:Or the Heinous Sin of Self-Pollution" of an anonymous author or that of Samuel Tissot's "Treatise on the Diseases Produced by Onanism" they were the basis for masturbation to be perceived by many as a "moral weakness" but mainly as a physical and mental condition that needed treatment.
In the US, one of the loudest voices against masturbation was that of John Harvey Kellog, a Michigan physician. He himself was quite uncomfortable with the whole sex situation, seeing it as detrimental to physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
He stayed away from any related process while he never managed to "consummate" his marriage. He and his wife spent their evenings in separate bedrooms while their three children were all adopted.
Sex between partners was bad, but masturbation was far worse, according to the scientist. In his book "Plain Facts for Old and Young:Embracing the Natural History and Hygiene of Organic Life" Kellog listed 39 different symptoms of a self-indulgent person including general weakness, stunted growth, mood swings, shame, poor posture, craving for spicy foods, acne, increased pulse and epilepsy. Mr. Kellog's findings, then, were not so cool...
The solution to the problem that the doctor suggested was simply good nutrition. He firmly believed that good meat or spices could reduce sexual desire while simpler foods such as grains and nuts could keep it to a minimum. During that time and after feverish research the doctor came up with some different combinations of foods in order to accomplish the impossible, that is, to put an end to sexual desire. Two of these evolved into now established breakfast meals.
One of the first "healing" meals Kellog invented consisted of oats, cornmeal baked into cookies and then ground into small pieces. He called it "granula", a relatively poor choice since at the same time another dietitian (James Caleb Jackson) was working on the same recipe. After several threats of lawsuits Kellog decided to christen the mix "Granola" establishing the name to this day.
Kellog's next innovative development was cereal as a healthy and ready-to-eat anti-masturbation breakfast. This discovery was made in collaboration with his brother Will, the business mind of the family, who strongly suggested that sugar be added to the recipe so that the product would gain wider market appeal. Will began selling the cereal through his own company, which became known as "Kellogg's Company".
And while cereal and granola were two really good ideas, Kellog has at times advocated some pretty harsh measures against self-indulgence. For example, he suggested that boys pass a wire through the foreskin, in order to prevent erections, while for girls it was suggested that acid be applied to the clitoris for "similar" results.
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