Aparently, the circumcision discussion that I mentioned the other day is still hot and kicking. There was an expert opinion posted here with a couple of links to medical resources. I’ve read it through and I have only a couple of points to bring out.
- Resources. I have checked both of the links provided by the expert. The reference to the The New England Journal of Medicine requires a subscription to access the article. Subscription is not free, and I am not yet convinced that I should spend any money on it. In any way, I have to dismiss it as it is not a “public enough” information and peer review that those articles recieve is questionable. The second article seems to be based on the first reference, so I don’t see much point in it either.
- Safe sex. The medical reason provided by the expert suggest that circumcised penis is less likely to harbour all sorts of infections. I have difficulty believing it considering safe sex in general, and condoms in particular. Circumcision deals with the part of the penis which is isolated by the condom. Medical studies of those people who practice sex with “multiple partners” without condoms do not concern me. Unless those are brain studies.
- “Just in case”. I find it very surprising to hear the phrase “Just in case” from a Ph.D. in medical science. I do not think that this is a good enough reason to do anything at all in general, and cutting pieces of skin off the penis in particular.
Resume: I am still far away from being convinced that the procedure is necessary.
so you don’t do ANYTHING – "just in case?"
You were never vaccinated against anything?
Your children are not vaccinated?
You don’t use flouride toothpaste or get annual checkups, just in case?
Don’t have car or health insurance?
No smoke detectors in your house?
Don’t take vitamins or exercise or not smoke, just in case?
Really?
Dear Leonid,
I responded to your comments back on the post-coital babble blog rather than spreading them across 3 (and counting) blogs.
Cheers,
Ed
[1] If you must know:
1. I was never vaccinated AT MY WILL against anything. My last vaccination was because my parents decided to do it. Not me. Luckily that wasn’t my foreskin. :)
2. I don’t have any children yet. Though I am waiting for my first. He will be vaccinated appropriately. See a bit more on that below.
3. I don’t use flouride toothpaste or get annual checkups. I choose toothpaste based on packaging and the last time I visited the doctor was ages ago. I don’t even remember when it was.
4. I have both car and helth insurance, but not "just in case". Both of them are required by law in this country (Cyprus).
5. I don’t have smoke detectors in my house.
6. I don’t take vitamins or exercise. And I don’t smoke. But that is not because of "just in case". That is because I don’t like smoking. I was smoking for a long time. Than I started to feel bad because of it (note: I knew that it was surely because of it). Than I quit.
7. Really? Really. Believe it or not.
[2] Dear Ed,
I have responded to your comment back at that site too. Trying to keep the discussion together. Although it is very inconvenient from my point of view, since it is not the only discussion that I participate in. Keeping track of all of them is getting difficult after the second one. ;)
This business about circumcision preventing infections is pure BS. The circumcision wound itself acts as a conduit for pathogenic bacteria trying to enter the body (many infants have been needlessly sickened and injured by circumcision-borne diseases). If the people who make this specious claim were really concerned about preventing infections then they should OPPOSE circumcision in order to eliminate the risk of infection that it carries.
[5] Though with no proof, I still find this statement more reasonable and true.