# Cornflakes and Masturbation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841 "2002-07-13T22:57:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/1 "2002-07-13T22:57:04Z")
I have [read](http://www.religioustolerance.org/masturba1.htm) in a few places that cornflakes were invented to help avoid masturbation. Firstly, is this true ? Secondly, if true, why cornflakes ? What is in them that would make somebody (Kellogg) think they would help you not masturbate ? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/2 "2002-07-13T23:02:40Z")
Probably not. In my day, I gobbled them by the bowlful. I still can’t get the stains out of the carpet :). ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/3 "2002-07-13T23:03:52Z")
Haven’t you ever seen _The Road to Wellville?_ [http://www.mtn.org/quack/amquacks/kellogg.htm](http://www.mtn.org/quack/amquacks/kellogg.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/4 "2002-07-13T23:05:11Z")
I think it’s because at the time, everybody was eating huge slabs of beef for breakfast and Kellogg thought this was the root cause, something like that, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/5 "2002-07-13T23:31:41Z")
Wasn’t this a Cecil topic? And wasn’t it Graham crackers? Oh well, try searching there… I’m too tired right this second! ---
**Author:** ![WV\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@WV\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WV_Woman)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/6 "2002-07-13T23:37:29Z")
It was a Cecil topic, and yes, it was graham crackers. _hands Balthisar a gold star for the day_ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/7 "2002-07-14T00:01:43Z")
Dr. J.H. Kellogg was a complete nutbar. From [porn flakes](http://www.ibiblio.org/stayfree/10/graham.htm) : > [@](#): > > Treatments for Self-Abuse and its Effects: > "A remedy which is almost always successful in small boys is circumcision…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…In females, the author has found the application of pure carbolic acid to the clitoris an excellent means of allaying the abnormal excitement. " – Dr. John Harvey Kellogg Btw, his brother W.K. Kellogg turned the company that they started (The Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company) into what is now Kellogg Co. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/8 "2002-07-14T07:53:59Z")
Cecil on [Is it true graham crackers were invented to cure the dread fever of lust?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_053.html) ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornflakes-and-masturbation/118841/9 "2002-07-14T15:27:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Goo \* > \*\*I have [read](http://www.religioustolerance.org/masturba1.htm) in a few places that cornflakes were invented to help avoid masturbation. > > Firstly, is this true ?\*\* No. I just needed a username and all I could think of was **cornflakes**. It was just my lack of imagination showing through, and masturbation wasn’t an issue. > [@](#): > > **Secondly, if true, why cornflakes ? What is in them that would make somebody (Kellogg) think they would help you not masturbate ?** I don’t know whether I have that effect on people, and no, I don’t care. > [@](#): > > \*\*Thanks in advance. \*\* Oh, you’re welcome. [sub]_Note to self–change name._[/sub]