Coitus reservatus, whereby a man puts his penis inside a woman's vagina but aims not to ejaculate, has been practised for a variety of religious, moral, contraceptive and other reasons.

According to one authority it was first advocated by Dr Alice Stockham of Chicago at the end of the nineteenth century, and later by Dr Marie Stopes. Stockham can be quoted "Manifestations of tenderness are indulged in without physical or mental fatigue; the caresses lead up to connection (coupling) and the sexes unite quietly and closely. Once the necessary control has been acquired, the two beings are fused and reach sublime spiritual joy.

This union can be accompanied by slow controlled motions, so that voluptuous thrills do not overbalance the desire for soft sensations. If there is no wish to procreate, the violence of the orgasm will thus be avoided. If love is mutual, and if union is sufficiently prolonged, it affords complete satisfaction without emission or orgasm. After an hour the bodies relax, spiritual delight is increased, and new horizons are revealed with the renewal of strength."

When Dr Stockham's book first appeared it was condemned by medical men in Britain and America. In more recent times some sexologists approve the method espoused, others condemn it. For instance, Dr Robert Chartham urges that

{it is not a method of lovemaking to be recommended..."