D.O.C. (Doctors Opposing Circumcision) had an exhibit booth at the
American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Meeting in San Francsciso,
October 17-19, 1998, staffed by Morrie Sorrells, M.D. (D.O.C.),
Marilyn Milos, R.N. (NOCIRC), Steve Scott, NOCIRC Educational Outreach
Coordinator (NOCIRC of Utah), and Steven Svoboda, Esq. (Attorneys for
the Rights of the Child). Staffers surveyed pediatricians on seven
points to find that, of those polled, 13% do not know the functions of
the
forekin; 22% do not know to leave the foreskin alone, to wash only the
exterior genitalia, and to allow the child to retract his own
foreskin; 84% do not know that 99% of children's foreskins are fully
retractable by age 17; 25% do not know that the U.S. is the only
country that circumcises a majority of its infants for non-religious
reasons; 16% do not know the non-surgical alternatives for urinary
tract infections, phimosis and paraphimosis, genital cancers, and
sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS); 27% do not know that
their primary responsibility is to provide medical care based on the
child's needs; and 35% do not know that the long-term consequences to
men's health have never been investigated by the medical community.
When asked what it would take to change their minds about
circumcision, four pediatricians answered:
"A million dollars!" Thomas Wiswell, M.D.
[Possibly Dr. Wiswell thought this response was humorous, but, because
circumcision is motivated, at least in part, by economics, it really
was less funny than even he may have realized.]
"If I changed my mind, I would have to put a gun to my head."
Retired pediatrician who claims to have performed 10,000 circumcisions.
"It's the obstetricians who do the circumcisions and, for them, it
is economics. We pediatricians are too whimpy to challenge them
because we need their referrals." Anonymous
"I'd be delighted if I never had to do another one. The question is
to have the moral courage not to do it." Anonymous
Taken from NOCIRC News.
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