Q: History of circumcision?

Posted Sunday, February 17, 2008 11:59 PM

Q: Why and when did boys start being circumcised?

A: Good question. No one knows when exactly boys started being circumcised, but it’s actually one of the oldest surgical procedures in the world. It's unclear exactly why it started, but most evidence points to hygienic reasons -- dirt and bacteria could easily get trapped between the penis' tip and foreskin and cause nasty infections. Today, most boys are circumcised for medical, religious, or cultural reasons. Here’s a brief timeline of circumcisions' history and movement into the American mainstream.

2300 B.C.
Although circumcision pre-dates written history, ancient Egyptian drawings appear to show the first ritual acts of circumcision. One theory says people living in hot, dry, sandy environments were more prone to penile infections such as balanitis, urethritis, or cystitis. Because bacteria under the foreskin could cause these potentially fatal conditions could be caused by bacteria, circumcision may have been used as a preventative measure. Others believe circumcision was use as a kind of sacrifice.

2000 B.C.
According to Genesis 17:11, the circumcision of Abraham around this time is what sparked the centuries-old Jewish tradition of the ceremonial Bris Milah, as well as similar Muslim traditions.

15th Century A.D.
Most African countries, particularly Kenya, Cameroon and the Congo, have begun to circumcise males. By this point, circumcision is a trend in both Muslim and non-Muslim countries.

19th Century A.D.
This period marks the beginning of non-religious circumcision, starting in Victorian England. It was believed that the foreskin made the penis' head more sensitive and thus increased masturbation, so during this stuffy period many chose to circumcise in hopes of squashing such sexual impulses. Other reported benefits include the prevention of penile cancer, syphilis and other various penile diseases and dysfunctions. After a wave of American physicians publicly promote these benefits of circumcision, the procedure rapidly becomes both popular and routine throughout the States.

20th Century A.D.
By the mid-1930s, nearly half of all males born in America are circumcised, and by the '50s and '60s the number is at an all-time high of 90 percent. This huge jump is linked to both World War I and II, when the military thought that circumcising soldiers would stave off the spread of venereal disease.

Today
The circumcision rate is steadily falling in the U.S. By 2004, it had dropped to 57%, which experts believe is largely due to the growth of immigration. Shifting attitudes about the human body are also thought to have a role.

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