own bread and beans on a French
stomach, I have endeavored to make that part of the book readable and
interesting. The operative chapter will be particularly useful and
interesting to physicians, as I have there given a careful and impartial
review of all the operative procedures,--from the most simple to the
most elaborate,--besides paying more than particular attention to the
subject of after-dressings. The part that relates to the natural history
of man will interest all manner of people. I regret that the tabular
statistics are not to be had, but in this regard we must use our best
judgment from the material we have on hand; at any rate, I have tried to
furnish a sufficiency of facts, so that, unless the reader is too
overexacting, he will not find much difficulty in arriving at a
conclusion on the subject.

P. C. REMONDINO, M.D.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, 1891.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

PREFACE, iii

INTRODUCTION, 1

CHAPTER I.
ANTIQUITY OF CIRCUMCISION, 21

CHAPTER II.
THEORIES AS TO THE ORIGIN OF CIRCUMCISION, 28

CHAPTER III.
SPREAD OF CIRCUMCISION, 34

CHAPTER IV.
CIRCUMCISION AMONG SAVAGE TRIBES, 42

CHAPTER V.
INFIBULATION, MUZZLING, AND OTHER CURIOUS PRACTICES, 46

CHAPTER VI.
ATTEMPTS TO ABOLISH CIRCUMCISION, 63

CHAPTER VII.
MIRACLES AND THE HOLY PREPUCE, 70

CHAPTER VIII.
HISTORY OF EMASCULATION, CASTRATION, AND EUNUCHISM, 82

CHAPTER IX.
PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO EUNUCHISM AND
MEDICINE, 105

CHAPTER X.
HERMAPHRODISM AND HYPOSPADIAS, 117

CHAPTER XI.
RELIGIO MEDICI, 134

CHAPTER XII.
HEBRAIC CIRCUMCISION, 143

CHAPTER XIII.
MEZIZAH, THE FOURTH OR OBJECTIONABLE ACT OF SUCTION, 150

CHAPTER XIV.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CIRCUMCISION? 161

CHAPTER XV.
PREDISPOSITION TO AND EXEMPTION AND IMMUNITY FROM
DISEASE, 183

CHAPTER XVI.
THE PREPUCE, SYPHILIS, AND PHTHISIS, 187

CHAPTER XVII.
SOME REASONS FOR BEING CIRCUMCIS