A Different View of the Facts

Abstract

In response to the article, "Why Circumcision," where the authors conclude that "the medical and economic advantages of neonatal circumcision far outweight the disadvantages tages,"1 I would like to review their arguments. Medical Reasons—The authors assert that "In 1942 Ravich postulated that circumcision decreased the incidence of cervical cancer and prostatic cancer."Dr. Ravich's "statistics are as follows: "In a survey of the prostatic operations performed by me from 1930 to date (1942) . . . on patients whose religious status was readily available to me, the following ...reveals very interesting data" [tabulation summarized from Ravich]: