amia of the Talmud, Paul was charged by the synod of
Jewish Christians "with disregarding the Law, forsaking the teachings of
Moses, and attempting to abolish circumcision." He was bid to recant and
undergo humiliation with four other Nazarenes, that it might be known
that he walked orderly and observed the Law; Paul submitted to all that
was demanded.

This, in short, with the exception of the sayings of Paul on the
subject, which are all secondary considerations, is really all that
there is relating to the abolishment of circumcision by the Christians.
The real Disciples and Apostles believed in Jesus with as much fervor as
Paul, but it is singular that they who were with the Master should
always have insisted on the observance of the Law, while Paul as
energetically insisted on its abolishment.

From these premises, I have seen fit to inquire into the relative merits
of the three religions practiced by what we call the civilized nations,
as they affect man morally, physically, and mentally. I have given the
facts, my impressions, and reasons for being so impressed; from these,
the reader can easily see that religion has more to do with man's
temporal existence than is generally believed; its discussion is not,
therefore, out of place in this book.

Repetitions in the course of the work have been unavoidable. This is not
a novel nor a work of fiction, and wherever the want of repetition would
have been an injury, either to the proper representation of a fact or a
principle, the repetition has not been avoided. In describing the
operations, I had desired to avoid any too numerous descriptions, as
that is confusing, but have thought it best to give a number, as the
reader will thereby obtain the views of the different operators, the
mode of the operation often being an index to the view of the operator
in regard to the needs or utility of a prepuce. In the general plan of
the work, I have adopted the idea and the historical relation carried
out by Bergmann, of Strasburg, who included all the mutilations
practiced on the genitals while discussing the subject of circumcision,
they being, in the originality of performance, somewhat intimately
connected; this also tends to make the subject more interesting as a
contribution to the natural history of man,--something in which all
intelligent persons are more or less interested.

P. C. REMONDINO, M.D.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

[Illustration: EGYPTIAN CIRCUMCISION.

(From