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From: ijk@hropus.UUCP (Ihor J. Kinal)
Newsgroups: net.kids,net.med
Subject: Re: circumcisions not paid for by major health insurance
Message-ID: <176@hropus.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Dec-85 10:35:50 EST
Article-I.D.: hropus.176
Posted: Mon Dec 30 10:35:50 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 31-Dec-85 03:39:21 EST
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Xref: watmath net.kids:2395 net.med:3038

A few months ago, in the Scinece section of the NY Times (i.e.,
section C on Tuesdays), there was an article on circumcisions.

Naturally, I don't have it handy, but certain key aspects I remember
well, since my wife decided NOT to have my son circumcised two years
ago:

Here's what I remember:
1.  No medical reasons for circumcision; the bit about cervical
cancer in female partners is not considered to be proven.
Cleaning should not represent any substantial problem.

2.  SURGICAL ACCIDENTS:  the NY Times reported several cases where
the penis was SEVERELY damaged; in one case, a sex change operation
was performed, in another case, the boy will never have normal sexual
relations.  To be sure, the risk may be small, but as a parent,
how can one expose their child to that possibility??????
(Sure, go ahead and sue----- but it's not going to restore the kid's...
Not a happy possibility.)

Ihor Kinal
houxm!hropus!ijk