History of Circumcision from the Earliest Times to the Present | Page 2

be particularly useful and
interesting to physicians, as I have there given a careful and impartial
review of all the operative procedures,--from the most simple to the
most elaborate,--besides paying more than particular attention to the
subject of after-dressings. The part that relates to the natural history of
man will interest all manner of people. I regret that the tabular statistics
are not to be had, but in this regard we must use our best judgment
from the material we have on hand; at any rate, I have tried to furnish a
sufficiency of facts, so that, unless the reader is too overexacting, he
will not find much difficulty in arriving at a conclusion on the subject.
P. C. REMONDINO, M.D.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, 1891.

CONTENTS.
PAGE
PREFACE, iii
INTRODUCTION, 1
CHAPTER I.

ANTIQUITY OF CIRCUMCISION, 21
CHAPTER II.
THEORIES AS TO THE ORIGIN OF CIRCUMCISION, 28
CHAPTER III.
SPREAD OF CIRCUMCISION, 34
CHAPTER IV.
CIRCUMCISION AMONG SAVAGE TRIBES, 42
CHAPTER V.
INFIBULATION, MUZZLING, AND OTHER CURIOUS
PRACTICES, 46
CHAPTER VI.
ATTEMPTS TO ABOLISH CIRCUMCISION, 63
CHAPTER VII.
MIRACLES AND THE HOLY PREPUCE, 70
CHAPTER VIII.
HISTORY OF EMASCULATION, CASTRATION, AND
EUNUCHISM, 82
CHAPTER IX.
PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO
EUNUCHISM AND MEDICINE, 105

CHAPTER X.
HERMAPHRODISM AND HYPOSPADIAS, 117
CHAPTER XI.
RELIGIO MEDICI, 134
CHAPTER XII.
HEBRAIC CIRCUMCISION, 143
CHAPTER XIII.
MEZIZAH, THE FOURTH OR OBJECTIONABLE ACT OF
SUCTION, 150
CHAPTER XIV.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CIRCUMCISION? 161
CHAPTER XV.
PREDISPOSITION TO AND EXEMPTION AND IMMUNITY
FROM DISEASE, 183
CHAPTER XVI.
THE PREPUCE, SYPHILIS, AND PHTHISIS, 187
CHAPTER XVII.
SOME REASONS FOR BEING CIRCUMCISED, 200
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE PREPUCE AS AN OUTLAW, AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE

GLANS, 206
CHAPTER XIX.
IS THE PREPUCE A NATURAL PHYSIOLOGICAL APPENDAGE?
217
CHAPTER XX.
THE PREPUCE, PHIMOSIS, AND CANCER, 226
CHAPTER XXI.
THE PREPUCE AND GANGRENE OF THE PENIS, 236
CHAPTER XXII.
THE PREPUCE, CALCULI, AND OTHER ANNOYANCES, 248
CHAPTER XXIII.
REFLEX NEUROSES AND THE PREPUCE, 254
CHAPTER XXIV.
DYSURIA, ENURESIS, AND RETENTION OF URINE, 275
CHAPTER XXV.
GENERAL SYSTEMIC DISEASES INDUCED BY THE PREPUCE,
284
CHAPTER XXVI.
SURGICAL OPERATIONS PERFORMED ON THE PREPUCE, 302
NOTES TO TEXT, 323

WORKS AND AUTHORITIES QUOTED, 336
INDEX, 339

INTRODUCTION.
This book is the amplification of a paper, the subject of which was, "A
Plea for Circumcision; or, the Dangers that Arise from the Prepuce,"
which was read at the meeting of the Southern California Medical
Society, at Pasadena, in December, 1889. The material gathered for that
paper was more than could be used in the ordinary limits of a society
paper; it was gathered and ready for use, and this suggested its
arrangement into book form. The subject of the paper was itself
suggested by a long and personal observation of the changes made in
man by circumcision. From the individual observation of cases, it was
but natural to wish to enlarge the scope of our observation and
comparison; this naturally led to a study of the physical characteristics
of the only race that could practically be used for the purpose. This race
is the Jewish race. On carefully studying into the subject, I plainly saw
that much of their longevity could consistently be ascribed to their
more practical humanitarianism, in caring for their poor, their sick, as
well as in their generous provision for their unfortunate aged people.
The social fabric of the Jewish family is also more calculated to
promote long life, as, strangely as it may seem, family veneration and
family love and attachment are far more strong and practical among
this people than among Christians, this sentiment not being even as
strong in the Christian races as it is in the Chinese or Japanese. It
certainly forms as much of a part of the teachings of Christianity as it
does of Judaism, Buddhism, or Confucianism, only Christians, as a
mass, have practically forgotten it. The occupation followed by the
Jews also in a certain degree favors longevity, and the influence on
heredity induced by all these combined conditions goes for something.
But it is not alone in the matter of simple longevity--although that
implies considerable--that the Jewish race is found to be better situated.
Actual observations show them to be exempt from many diseases
which affect other races; so that it is not only that they recover more

promptly, but that they are not, as a class, subjected to the loss of time
by illness, or to the consequent sufferings due to illness or disease, in
anything like or like ratio with other people.
There is also a less tendency to criminality, debauchery, and
intemperance in the race; this, again, can in a measure be ascribed to
their family influence, which even in our day has not lost that
patriarchal influence which tinges the home or family life in the Old
Testament. Crimes