Circumcision reaches its 5th generation of Aussies
Patrick was still young when he finished his training and shipped out. The army doctors recommended circumcision to stay healthy on the front.
In 1917, Patrick’s foreskin was removed in a surgical procedure at age 19.
6 years later, Patrick became a father. His doctor offered to circumcise his new son before he left the hospital. Patrick eagerly accepted his offer.
In 1923, Joseph’s foreskin was removed with a mogen clamp at 3 days old.
Joseph became a dad at 29. Circumcision was now standard procedure for all boys at this and many hospitals. Joseph was never asked about his sons circumcision.
In 1952, Peter’s foreskin was removed with a gomco clamp at 1 days old.
At age 32, Peter had his 2nd son. He asked the doctor if he could get his son circumcised like himself and his older brother.
In 1984, Chris’ foreskin was removed with a plastibell device at 2 days old.
Chris was 35 when his son was born. He took him to a nearby clinic his best mate had told him about. It wasn’t much back on medicare but Chris was happy to pay.
In 2019, Oliver’s foreskin was removed with a circumplast device at 8 days old.
The 5th generation in his family to be circumcised, Oliver’s foreskin was pinched and pulled to be loosened. Then a pair of forceps were inserted into the orifice and opened widely. The skin was stretched, then completely separated from his glans and finally fully retracted. His frenulum was then pinched, pulled forward, severed then cauterised. His foreskin was pulled forward again, and with two forceps holding it, a slit cut along the top, and then folded apart. A ribbed plastic cylinder was inserted into his penis between his glans and foreskin. The cylinder pushed back all the way up into his coronal sulcus. The foreskin was then pulled back over the plastic ring, pulled tightly and then clamped in place so that over 75% of the skin on his infant penis was covering the clamp. A ligature was tightly secured around the base of the ring and then his foreskin was trimmed off. 8 days later the ring detached with the foreskin remnant. Now, just like 17% of his peers, Oliver’s glans was completely exposed for life.
Over 100 years of circumcision in Australia, the methods and motivations have changed significantly. Imagine what techniques the next generation might develop.
