History of Nephrology 3

In 1992, the defmition of erectile dysfunction (ED) replaced the old term of impotence that had been used for many centuries, in order to avoid the general confusion existing until today in this field. In the past, the origin of impotence had been attributed to different causes such as psychological diseases, or witches and demons. In 1764, Fusanacci described impotence that can occur in the male as well as in the female, as a defect in reproduction. The main causes responsible for impotence were identified as inability to achieve erection, a very fluid seminal ejaculation, a defective organ, dryness of testicles, and lack of copulative power after many sexual intercourses with healthy women. Some decades later in 1847, Beatty affirmed that one of the most remarkable changes that can be observed in the passage from childhood to maturity is the development of the sexual organs, followed by the appearanee of new sensations. He dis1inguished impotenee that oeeurs only in men from sterility that for him affeets women, and divided the eauses of impotenee into 3 classes: organie, functional and moral (today defmed as psyehologieal). For Beatty, the . progress of knowledge had taken away magie and soreery from the human mind and now it was widespread only ," among the lowest and most ignorant classes of humble people. In this way, he shows the evolution ofmedieal scienee d~ in XIX eentury in aceepting only the rational explanation of the human diseases.