IMPOTENCE, or IMPOTENCY, in general, denotes want of strength, power, or means, to perform any thing.
Divines and philosophers distinguish two sorts of impotency; natural, and moral. The first is a want of some physical principle, necessary to an action; or where a being is absolutely defective, or not free and at liberty to act: The second only imports a great difficulty; as a strong habit to the contrary, a violent passion, or the like.
Impotency is more particularly used for a natural inability to coition. Impotence with respect to men
is the same as sterility in women; that is, an inability of propagating the species. There are many causes of impotence; as, a natural defect in the organs of generation, which seldom admits of a cure: accidents, or diseases; and in such cases the impotence may, or may not, be remedied, according as these are curable or otherwise.—The most common causes are, early and immoderate venery, or the venereal disease. We have instances, however, of unfitness for generation in men by an impediment to the ejection of the semen in coition, from a wrong direction which the orifice at the verumontanum got, whereby the seed was thrown up into the bladder. M. Petit cured one patient under such a difficulty of emission, by making an incision like to that commonly made in the great operation for the stone.