To the Editor.—
I was most gratified to read the article by Captain Preston on neonatal circumcision. The study is noteworthy both for its scientific objectivity and for the deeply human concern expressed by the author.
In the 19 years since my graduation from medical school and subsequent arrival in the United States, I have continued to be shocked at the arbitrariness of the thoughtless mutilation of so many boys. The medical demerits of the procedure are well outlined in Captain Preston's article. As a member of a civilized community, I should like to bring up for consideration two additional points.
The aesthetic pleasure commonly associated with the visual contemplation of the healthy and intact human body is seriously damaged in the case of a circumcised male. Many sensitive individuals, especially those unaccustomed to it, tend to view the circumcised penis with the same feeling of horror induced by the
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
