The Elements of Social Science: Or, Physical, Sexual, and Natural Religion (Great Minds): Drysdale, George, Darby, Robert

Condemned by critics as "the Bible of the brothel" and "the most demoralising book of the century," Physical, Sexual and Natural Religion (later retitled The Elements of Social Science) was one of the most daring critiques of Victorian morality ever published.

Presenting a case for free sexual unions before marriage, widespread contraception and family limitation, use of condoms to guard against venereal disease, and the replacement of Judeo-Christian spirituality with a science-based "religion" (really, a set of humane values) that respected the human body, Drysdale challenged the antisensual currents of his time and anticipated the sexual revolution of the 1960s.

His arguments infuriated the medical profession, which contested his views without naming him and subjected his book to constant attack.

Nonetheless, Elements was extremely popular, running to thirty-five editions and selling nearly 100,000 copies by the time of the author's death.