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George Cragin Manuscript

An inventory of the item at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Cragin, George E.
Title: George Cragin Manuscript
Inclusive Dates: before 1915
Quantity: 1 folder (SC)
Abstract: Manuscript by George Edward Cragin, physician to the Oneida Community, on "Male Continence or Self Control in Sexual Intercourse: Its History and Its Practice"
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

The Oneida Community was a Utopian religious commune founded by John Humphrey Noyes in 1848 in Oneida, a town in Central New York. Noyes and his adherents were believers in Perfectionism, the doctrine that it is possible to bring about Christ's millennial kingdom and be free of sin and perfect in this world. They practiced, among other things, plural or complex marriage, male continence and mutual criticism.

George Edward Cragin (1840-1915) was a long-time member of the Oneida community and a physician.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The George Cragin Manuscript consists of a manuscript in pencil by George Cragin on the subject of "Male Continence or Self Control in Sexual Intercourse: Its History and Its Practice." The manuscript has, so far as can be determined, never been published although Cragin gave a lecture based on it to the Oneida Medical Club in March of 1915.

The document begins: "During the first few years of Dr. Humphrey's married life...his wife became pregnant five times, resulting in four miscarriages...Deeply impressed by this useless suffering by his wife, Dr. Humphrey resolved that he would live apart so far as sexual intercourse was concerned rather than subject his wife to such a drain upon her vitality."

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Cragin, George E.

Corporate Bodies

Oneida Community.

Subjects

Birth control -- Moral and ethical aspects.
Contraception.
Male contraception.
Sexual abstinence -- History -- United States.
Sexual ethics.

Genres and Forms

Essays.
Manuscripts for publication.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

George Cragin Manuscript,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchased.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MRC
Date: 18 May 2011
Revision history:

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Inventory

Writings
SC 660 before 1915

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