Circumcision: A History Of The World's Most Controversial SurgeryFrom the extraordinarily painful initiation rite of the ancient Egyptians, through the Hebrew purification ritual, through its use by nineteenth-century doctors as prevention for ailments including bedwetting, paralysis, and epilepsy, circumcision has had a long and varied history. Perhaps the greatest mystery, however, is its persistence over time through vastly different social contexts.Historian of medicine David Gollaher takes a comprehensive look at the practice in this lively, scholarly history. Circumcision also addresses the growing controversy over the procedure's continuance, and those opposing routine circumcision will find support here. Gollaher concludes that “if male circumcision were confined to developing nations, it would by now have emerged as an international cause célèbre.” |
Contents
The Jewish Tradition | 1 |
Christians and Muslims | 31 |
Symbolic Wounds | 53 |
Copyright | |
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Circumcision: A History Of The World's Most Controversial Surgery David Gollaher No preview available - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
Abraham Academy of Pediatrics African American Academy American Medical Association ancient anesthesia baby blood body boys century ceremony child Christian circum cision Clinical clitoris covenant cultural cumcision cutting disease disorders doctors early effect Egyptian evidence female circumcision Force on Circumcision foreskin restoration Gairdner genital mutilation genitalia Gentiles girls glans glans penis History of Circumcision hospital human hygiene incidence infants irritation Islam Jewish Jews Judaism Lewis Sayre Maimonides male circumcision masturbation Medical Journal medicine modern mohel Moses Muslim National Neonatal Circumcision nerve Newborn normal operation organ pain parents patients pediatrician Pediatrics penile cancer penis percent performed phimosis physicians practice prepuce preputial prevent procedure public health Rabbi religious Remondino reported risk rite routine scholars sexually transmitted diseases sion skin social STDs surgeon surgery surgical symbol syphilis Task Force theory tion tissue tribal tribes uncircumcised Urinary Tract Infection Wiswell woman women wrote