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Tonsillectomy—Ritualistic Surgery?

Tonsillectomy—Ritualistic Surgery? Abstract THE New England Journal of Medicine had a quaint article by a pediatrician,1 describing circumcision and tonsillectomy as ritualistic operations generally performed without adequate medical justification and mainly because of parental demand. The operation of circumcision comes first under the scalpel of the author, who recalls Freud's speculation that the operation is symbolic of castration, undertaken by the jealous father who thus hopes to prevent his more sexually active sons from taking over his females! The purpose of hygiene with reduced carcinoma of the penis in the male and considerable reduction in carcinoma of the cervix in the wife, as has been verified by numerous statistical surveys, is belittled by the author, who finally concludes that "the decision is usually made by the mother alone and little is really known about the basis of this maternal decision." The author then attacks and dissects the operation of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, References 1. Bolande, R.P.: Ritualistic Surgery—Circumcision and Tonsillectomy , New Eng J Med 280:591 ( (March 13) ) 1969.Crossref http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Otolaryngology American Medical Association

Tonsillectomy—Ritualistic Surgery?

Archives of Otolaryngology , Volume 90 (2) – Aug 1, 1969
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References (1)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1969 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0003-9977
DOI
10.1001/archotol.1969.00770030121002
Publisher site
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Abstract

Abstract THE New England Journal of Medicine had a quaint article by a pediatrician,1 describing circumcision and tonsillectomy as ritualistic operations generally performed without adequate medical justification and mainly because of parental demand. The operation of circumcision comes first under the scalpel of the author, who recalls Freud's speculation that the operation is symbolic of castration, undertaken by the jealous father who thus hopes to prevent his more sexually active sons from taking over his females! The purpose of hygiene with reduced carcinoma of the penis in the male and considerable reduction in carcinoma of the cervix in the wife, as has been verified by numerous statistical surveys, is belittled by the author, who finally concludes that "the decision is usually made by the mother alone and little is really known about the basis of this maternal decision." The author then attacks and dissects the operation of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, References 1. Bolande, R.P.: Ritualistic Surgery—Circumcision and Tonsillectomy , New Eng J Med 280:591 ( (March 13) ) 1969.Crossref

Journal

Archives of Otolaryngology – American Medical Association

Published: Aug 1, 1969

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