What proof is there that Dr. John Kellogg (that Kellogg) circumcised himself at age 37?
Edit:
I took the freedom of eradicating it myself. It was a cell edit achieved practically 4 years in the past. I assume this goes to indicate why you by no means depend on Wikipedia. No authentic analysis, and a giant factor on the high of the web page should you rely an excessive amount of on main sources…
I do not know the way anybody may learn [*Plain Facts For Old And Young*](https://www.gutenberg.org/information/19924/19924-h/19924-h.htm) and never get it. He actually says there’s quacks who exaggerate the consequences of masturbation to scare boys and younger males, then goes on to jot down an clearly satirical part in ***A Chapter for Boys***.
In that chapter he actually writes.
>Closing Recommendation to Boys and Younger Males.—One phrase extra and we should shut this chapter, which we hope has been learn with care by these for whom it’s particularly written. Let each boy who peruses these pages keep in mind that the details right here said are true.
And earlier than that wrote.
>What Makes Boys Dwarfs.—What number of occasions have we seen boys who had been born with good constitutions, with power and stamina enough to develop them into giant, vigorous males, develop into puny dwarfs.
>What Makes Idiots.—Reader, have you ever ever seen an fool? When you have, the hideous image won’t ever be dissipated out of your reminiscence. The vacant stare, the drooping, drooling mouth, the unsteady gait, the sensual look, the vacancy of thoughts,—all these you’ll properly keep in mind. Did you ever cease to suppose how idiots are made? It’s by this very vice that the ranks of those poor daft mortals are being recruited daily.
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[From wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harvey_Kellogg)
>He circumcised himself at age 37. His strategies for the “rehabilitation” of masturbation addicts included measures as much as the purpose of chopping off a part of the genitals, with out anesthetic, on each sexes; he wrote males who did ought to be circumcised and ladies that did ought to have carbolic acid utilized to their clitoral glans.[46] In his Plain Details for Previous and Younger, he wrote:[46]
The bigger piece [*Plain Facts For Old And Young*](https://www.gutenberg.org/information/19924/19924-h/19924-h.htm).
Frankly, it reads like a satire. The part Wikipedia makes use of to say that he beneficial circumcision appears to be a joke when taking a look at it in context of the entire textual content.
>A treatment which is sort of at all times profitable in small boys is circumcision, particularly when there’s any diploma of phimosis. The operation ought to be carried out by a surgeon with out administering an anesthetic, because the temporary ache attending the operation may have a salutary impact upon the thoughts, particularly if it’s related with the thought of punishment, because it could be in some circumstances. The soreness which continues for a number of weeks interrupts the follow, and if it had not beforehand develop into too firmly mounted, it might be forgotten and never resumed.[58]
Proof that this can be a joke.
># ANATOMY OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS.
> Circumcision.—The fold of integument referred to as the prepuce, which has been beforehand described, has upon its internal floor a lot of glands which produce a peculiar secretion. Below sure circumstances, and from inattention to private cleanliness, this secretion could accumulate, after which usually turns into the reason for irritation and critical illness. To stop such issues, and to insure cleanliness, the Jewish regulation required the removing of the prepuce, which constituted the ceremony of circumcision. The identical follow is adopted by a number of fashionable nations dwelling in tropical climates; and it may well scarcely be doubted that it’s a very salutary one, and has contributed very materially to the upkeep of that proverbial nationwide well being for which the Jews are celebrated. Eminent physicians have expressed the opinion that the follow can be a salutary one for all males. The upkeep of scrupulous cleanliness, by every day cleaning, is a minimum of an crucial responsibility.
> In some nations, females are additionally circumcised by removing of the nymphæ. The article is identical as that of circumcision within the male. The identical evils end result from inattention to native cleanliness, and the identical measure of prevention, every day cleaning, is necessitated by an analogous secretion. Native cleanliness is enormously uncared for by each sexes. Every day washing ought to start with infancy and proceed by life, and can forestall a lot illness.
…
># CURATIVE TREATMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF SELF-ABUSE.
>Circumcision.—In circumstances of phimosis, wherein irritation is produced by retained secretions, division of the prepuce, or circumcision, is the right treatment. These circumstances will not be rare, however the thrilling explanation for a lot of the problem is usually missed. The identical treatment is usually helpful in circumstances of lengthy prepuce.
>When the glans penis is unusually tender and delicate, this situation will normally be eliminated by the every day washing with cleaning soap and water essential for cleanliness. If this doesn’t suffice, or if there are slight excoriations brought on by acrid secretions, apply, as well as, a weak resolution of tannin in glycerine as soon as a day.
…
>Varicocele.—Sufferers affected by this issue ought to put on a correct suspensory bag, because the continued strain of the distended veins upon the testes, if unsupported, will in the end trigger degenerative adjustments and atrophy. A surgery, consisting of the removing of a portion of the pores and skin of the scrotum, is correct if the affected person wishes an operation; no different operation is advisable.
>The sporting of a suspensory bag can be advisable for these whose testicles are unusually pendulous.
…
> # Quacks
>One other lure set known as an “Anatomical Museum.” The anatomical a part of the exhibition consists mainly of fashions and figures calculated to excite the passions to the best pitch. ***At said intervals the proprietor, who’s at all times a “physician,” and by choice a German, delivers lectures on the consequences of masturbation, wherein he resorts to each gadget to excite the fears and exaggerate the signs of his hearers***, who’re principally younger males and boys. Thus he prepares his sufferer, and when he as soon as will get him inside his clutches, he doesn’t let him go till he has robbed him of his final greenback.
> We’d current virtually any variety of illustrations of the methods wherein these human sharks pursue their villainy. If there have been a dungeon deep, darkish, and dismal sufficient for the punishment of such rascals, we must always really feel strongly inclined to petition to have them incarcerated in it. They defy all legal guidelines, civil in addition to ethical, however are crafty sufficient to maintain exterior of jail bars; and thus they wax wealthy by theft, and thrive by deceit. A horrible recompense awaits them on the remaining settlement, although they escape so simply now.
To me, this reads like a lampoon on the entire thought of masturbation inflicting illness, with allusions to the issues of VD in a time earlier than antibiotics. It seems like he is speaking about how ridiculous it will be to circumcise somebody to forestall a illness induced by masturbation. For instance, with a varicocele, he affords the thought of a surgical procedure to repair it, however then affords a suspensory bag as a soluton. Likewise, with phimosis and lengthy foreskin, he he affords the thought of circumcision, then says washing every day is ok. He then goes on to state that there are quacks that ship lectures exaggerating the consequences of masturbation in order that they’ll promote some kind of remedy.
What do you suppose? I can not discover the proof he circumcised himself.
Comments ( 6 )
I made this same post on /r/AskHistorians, but figured I’d put it here too.
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I’ve probably seen this guy posted a dozen times on reddit as the guy who “popularized circumcision as masturbation prevention in America”.
It doesn’t seem to be the case, at all. Honestly, this is a fascinating read. It was published in 1877.
I’ll add another source below.
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[P. C. Remondino, M.D., 1891
](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23135/23135-h/23135-h.htm
)
>In the United States, France, and in England, there is a class which also observe circumcision as a hygienic precaution, where, from my personal observation, I have found that circumcision is thoroughly practiced in every male member of many of the families of the class,—this being the physician class. In general conversation with physicians on this subject, it has really been surprising to see the large number who have had themselves circumcised, either through the advice of some college professor while attending lectures or as a result of their [iv]own subsequent convictions when engaged in actual practice and daily coming in contact both with the benefits that are to be derived in the way of a better physical, mental, and moral health, as well as with the many dangers and disadvantages that follow the uncircumcised,—the latter being probably the most frequent incentive and determinator,—as in many of these latter examples the operation of circumcision, with its pains, annoyances, and possible ***and probable dangers***, sink into the most trifling insignificance in comparison to some of the results that are daily observed as the tribute that is paid by the unlucky and unhappy wearer of a prepuce for the privilege of possessing such an appendage.
It was not uncontroversial at the time, either.
>By many surgeons the idea of circumcision, unless connected with an immediate demand for interference,—such as a phimosis unmanageable by any other means, an induced phimosis from gonorrhœa or other irritation, syphilis in its initiatory sore, cancer or some such cause,—is looked upon as an unwarrantable operation, a procedure not only barbarous, painful, and dangerous, but one that directly interferes with the intentions of nature. The prepuce is by many looked upon as a physiological necessity to health and the enjoyment of life, which, if removed, is liable to induce masturbation, excessive venereal desire, and a train of other evils.
It seems to me, circumcision in America arose mainly out of a belief that that there is a hygiene benefit to it. This belief spread among physicians, and became recommended for newborns. It was also used as a treatment for all sorts of diseases.
>Agnew believes in circumcision in the treatment of reflex troubles. He relates a case, in the second volume of his “Surgery,” of eczema extending over the abdomen, of over a year’s standing, cured in a child by circumcision; he operates by incision on the dorsum, in which he leaves nature to make away with the flaps, or he circumcises by the Bumstead method.
The thesis that the widespread adoption of circumcision in America was due to prude Christian influence to get their their offspring to stop masturbating doesn’t seem to hold up when you look at the sources.
>There is one thing that must be admitted concerning circumcision: this being that, among medical men or men of ordinary intelligence who have had the operation performed, instead of being dissatisfied, they have extended the advantages they have themselves received, by having those in their charge likewise operated upon. The practice is now much more prevalent than is supposed, as there are many Christian families where males are regularly circumcised soon after birth, who simply do so as a hygienic measure.
The effort to promote circumcision was probably much larger than Kellog himself and doesn’t seem to have accounted for the fact that the poverty in which many people were forced to live in Kellog’s time was the cause of bad hygenie, not necessarily the moral character of the menthemselves. Even in the Sixties its medical value was being misrepresented by doctors to mothers..
Doesn’t read like satire at all, just quackery.
My friends were just telling me a story about Kellogg last night. He founded the university they went to, so they knew a bit about his history.
Dude was a WHACKjob.
I read somewhere that he invented graham crackers to stop kids jerking off.
Kellogg was kinda bizarre and into eugenics I understand .
Correct me if I am wrong.