While I was doing research for another post, I came across a piece of particularly entertaining trivia about Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. As it turns out, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes were originally developed to stop boys from masturbating. When I read this, I was astounded, how on earth could this even be possible? The more I read about the story behind the corn flakes the more I realized that this was a story worth writing about.

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes were invented by John Harvey Kellogg (1852-1943). Kellogg was a medical doctor and superintendent of the famous hospital and health spa in Battle Creek, Michigan. Kellogg’s health spa stressed healthy living, and kept his patients on a strict vegetarian diet that eliminated caffeine, meat, alcohol, and tobacco.

Kellogg was a strong advocate of sexual abstinence. Kellogg thought sex was the ultimate evil and remained celibate even in marriage. Kellogg was influenced by current medical opinion sexually transmitted disease as well those taught by his religious and spiritual mentor, Ellen White of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Kellogg’s views on sex can be found in one of his large books under the name of Plain Facts for Old and Young. Kellogg’s book was first published in 1877 and was reprinted in various editions until 1920. Since Kellogg’s books on sex were widely read throughout the United States many of his opinions found their way into the public psyche for years to come.

Kellogg believed that most types of sexual activity were against nature and extremely unhealthy. Kellogg was particularly zealous in his views regarding masturbation arguing that “if illicit commerce of the sexes is a heinous sin, self-pollution, or masturbation, is a crime doubly abominable. As a sin against nature, it has no parallel except in sodomy. It is the most dangerous of all sexual abuses because it is the most extensively practiced.” Kellogg drew upon some rather dubious medical research to back up his claims. For example, he cited a Dr. Adam Clarke who claimed that “neither the plague, nor war, nor small-pox, nor similar diseases, have produced results so disastrous to humanity as the pernicious habit of onanism; it is the destroying clement of civilized societies, which is constantly in action, and gradually undermines the health of a nation.”

Based on this dubious medical research, Kellogg argued that masturbation was the cause of numerous diseases in both men and women. The following is a list of diseases and ailments that Kellogg attributed to masturbation for each gender:

Males:

• Urethral Irritation
• Inflammation and selling of the urethra
• Enlarged Prostate
• Urinary Diseases
• Piles
• Irritation of the ejaculatory ducts
• Atrophy of the Testicles
• Sterility
• Impotence
• Nervous exhaustion
• General debility
• Heart disease
• Throat infections
• Epilepsy
• Nervous Diseases
• Dimness of vision (blindness) or seeing spots before the eyes
• Spinal irritation
• Insanity
• Dwarfism

Females:

• Inflammation of the membrane lining the vagina
• Uterine disease
• Cancer of the womb
• Sterility
• Shrinking of the breasts
• Severe itching of the genitals
• Hysteria
• Epilepsy

His list is unusually long indeed and seems to cover every ailment and disease known to man except for hairy palms! Kellogg devised all kinds of remedies for masturbators which sometimes employed extreme measures that included physical mutilation. For example, he argued that circumcising young boys would be an effective means of stopping them from masturbating. Kellogg further elaborated on circumcision’s effectiveness by arguing:

A remedy which is almost always successful in small boys is circumcision, especially when there is any degree of phimosis. The operation should be performed by a surgeon without administering an anesthetic, as the brief pain attending the operation will have a salutary effect upon the mind, especially if it be connected with the idea of punishment, as it may well be in some cases. The soreness which continues for several weeks interrupts the practice, and if it had not previously become too firmly fixed, it may be forgotten and not resumed.

And for females:

The author has found the application of pure carbolic acid to the clitoris an excellent means of allaying the abnormal excitement.

Since Kellogg was also an advocate for healthy living and vegetarianism, he believed there was a strong connection between diet and chastity. For example, Kellogg argued that if a person eats a lot of meat, sugar, bread, tea, coffee and smokes that it would be nearly impossible to stay chaste. In his Plain Facts for Old and Young, he wrote:

Exciting stimulants and condiments weaken and irritate his nerves and derange the circulation.  Thus, indirectly, they affect the sexual system, which suffers through sympathy with the other organs.  Flesh, condiments, eggs, tea, coffee, chocolate, and all stimulants, have a powerful influence directly upon the reproductive organs.  They increase the local supply of blood, and the passions are aroused.

As part of his strict vegetarian diet regime, Kellogg served his patients meals dull in taste to discourage masturbation and other extreme sexual appetites. Most meals consisted of whole wheat, rice, oats and corn dishes. Kellogg believed that most people’s health problems started in the bowels. Kellogg’s solution was a strict vegetarian diet combined with an abundance of fiber and water would help to cleanse impurities and calm the body’s sexual passions.

While caring for his patients at his Health Spa, Kellogg accidentally overcooked a batch of corn, making them stale. Not wanting to throw the batch out, Kellogg processed the batch anyways. However, the batched formed into flakes rather than the desired dough sheets. When Kellogg fed the tasty corn flakes to his patients, they turned out to be quite a hit. Kellogg felt his new cereal would be the perfect addition to his vegetarian diet regime helping to discourage the scourge of masturbation and other sexual excesses.

Together with his brother, Will Kellogg, the delicious cereal propelled the two men into big business. The corn flakes were originally named Granose which were registered for a patent in 1894. Though, it was not until 1906 that the Kellogg’s Corn Flakes that we are all familiar with were made available to the general public.

So there you have it, Corn Flakes, the cure for your wandering hands! While, Kellogg helped to invent a delicious breakfast cereal that generations have enjoyed, his medical quackery has unfortunately, implanted many sexual phobias into the public consciousness that we today are still trying to overcome.