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From: pamp@bcsaic.UUCP (pam pincha)
Newsgroups: net.med,net.women,net.motss,net.jokes
Subject: Re: AIDS and RE: The worst (hist.) surgical proc.
Message-ID: <480@bcsaic.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Mar-86 17:04:58 EST
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Posted: Wed Mar 12 17:04:58 1986
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 I just ran across a letter in Science concering theoriginal
letter by Linke (Science,Jan.17,1986). The refuting letter by
Mike Burton (Dept.Anthro.,Univ.ofCal.,Irvine 92717) is in
Science,Mar.14,1986,vol.231,p.1236. I'm posting the letter
for the information of those interested in the speculations
this message has generated. At this point, those not interested
should use the old "n" key.
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	AIDS AND FEMALE CIRCUMCISION

"	Uli Linke's letter (17 Jan.,p.203) about AIDS in
Africa suggests that contact with blood during intercourse
may be an indirect consequence of the African practice of
female circumcision. It then describes an extreme and rare form
of female circumscription -- infibulation. Infibulation is
found only in a part of northeastern Africa (1), outside the
region where AIDS has been reported,and is very different in
its social and biological effects from the kind of female
circumcision that is practiced more widely in Africa.

	A secondary problem with the logic of hypothesizing
that AIDS is transmitted by traditional custom is that
in Africa it appears to be primarily an urban disease, as
it is in the United States. Traditional customs, such as
female circumcision, have their origins in the rural sector.
I think it would be more productive to look at data pertaining
to life in African cities and to examine such phenomena
as male labor migration, often described as being disurptive to
marriage and family life."

References:
(1) Hayes,R.O.,1975,American Enthnology,vol.2,p.617.
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My personal feeling is that Burton's recomendation for
study is more viable. Linke's hypothesis is too tenuous
for my way of thinking.

P.M.Pincha-Wagener