One Dr. Edward Bliss Foote (1829-1906) wrote an interesting series of books in the 1870s, braving the Comstock censorship of the era explicitly dealing with anatomy and sexuality. His works contain such interesting aspects as warnings of the dangers of alcohol and tobacco, defence of the rights of women and minorities, and some of the first positive depictions of interracial dating.

All this is is a series of 5 books of educational fiction. For children. With comic relief provided by a wacky monkey.

Read about it on village voice site. (kudos to crasch)

Clearly "Sammy Tubbs the Boy Doctor and Sponsie the Troublesome Monkey" needs to be reissued &/or made availible on the web.