A long held belief was that masturbation caused one to lose a valuable and limited resource (for example, mental energy, body chemicals or hormones) with ejaculation or orgasm. In fact, in my Boy Scout Handbook (1940), masturbation was not referred to by name and was discussed under a section on conservation. As boys, we were taught that masturbation was very harmful, emotionally and physically. Today, we know that masturbation itself is not physically nor emotionally harmful. Ejaculation and orgasm are normal body functions brought about by stimulation of the body in certain areas usually the male or female genitals