A reader: “Mr. Derbyshire—One group where spouses do not share a

marital bed is New Guinea’s Sambia. Male potency is seen as a strange

power called Jerangdu. It is kind of like the Maori’s manu in that it

can be transferred around. If you run out of it you die. Anyway,

jerangdu is found in the semen. Women are always trying to steal the

man’s potency so the man must be cautious. Men sleep in the men’s hut

and visit the wife sparingly, less they age too quickly. It gets

weirder from there…”

[Derb] Thank you, Sir. Er, excuse me, guys, but don’t we all sort

of… believe this?