Castration: Encyclopedia II - Castration - Castration in humans

Castration - Castration in humans

Castration - History

The method of castration has roots before recorded human history. Castration was frequently used in certain cultures, such as in Europe, the Middle East, India, Africa or China, for religious or social reasons. After battles, winners castrated their captives or bodies of the defeated to symbolise their victory and 'seize' their power. Castrated men - eunuchs - were often admitted to special social classes. Eunuchs were also often used to guard harems. Castration also figured in a number of religious cults: see castration cults. Other religions, for example Judaism, were strongly opposed to the practice.

African slave traders also frequently castrated their charges in order to increase their commercial value. After denying the victim fluids for a day or two, they would sever the penis and testicles, and use a hot iron to cauterise the wound closed. They would then force the prospective slave to drink so that hopefully the pressure of the bladder would be able to force an opening in the wound for urine. It is estimated that 90% of the slaves so treated died in the attempt, however, castrated slaves were greatly valued and sought both in Europe and in the East, where Christians and Jews formally discouraged the practice but informally were happy to purchase already-castrated slaves from Muslim traders.

In Europe, when women were not permitted to sing in church or cathedral choirs in the Roman Catholic Church, young boys were sometimes castrated to prevent their voices breaking at puberty and to develop a special high voice. These men, known as castrati were very popular in the Eighteenth Century. The practice of employing castrati lasted longest in Italian churches, most notoriously in the Sistine Chapel Choir. [1] [2]

Remains of transsexual and transgendered people from as far back as the Roman era have been uncovered and confirmed to have undergone castration.

Castration in humans has been proposed, and sometimes used, as a method of birth control in certain poorer regions.

Castration - Reasons

Surgical removal of a testicle is done in the case of testicular cancer. Surgical removal of both testicles or chemical castration may be carried out in the case of prostate cancer, as hormone treatment to slow down the cancer. [3]

Male-to-female transsexuals, as well as some transgendered people, often undergo castration. Castration can be done before, during, or in place of sex reassignment surgery.

A temporary chemical castration has been studied and developed as a preventive measure and punishment for several repeated sex crimes such as rape or other sexually related violence. Chemical or surgical castration is being discussed in many countries in particular as a voluntary surgical measure: an option for child molesters to avoid (long-term) imprisonment. In the case of chemical castration, regular injections of anti-androgens would probably be required. However, this treatment is not as effective as commonly believed, for there have been numerous cases of castrated men continuing to molest children.

There is also evidence that voluntary castration is used in modern societies for reasons such as control of libido, body modification, and in some cases of extreme sexual masochism, for purposes of sexual excitement (see paraphilia and apotemnophilia). Since voluntary castration is not generally supported by the medical community, an underground network of castrators (generally called "cutters") without medical licenses has formed. Surgery performed by untrained personnel outside a properly equipped medical facility is dangerous, and there have been cases of severe bleeding and other medical emergencies. Alternatively, self-castration (or autocastration) is occasionally performed, though it carries significant risk. Many who desire castration travel to developing countries, where medicine is less tightly regulated, and have the procedure performed by a doctor.

Involuntary castration also appears in the history of warfare, sometimes used by one side to torture or demoralize their enemies. It was also practiced to extinguish opposing male lineages and thus allow the victor to possess the defeated men's women. Involuntary castration under such circumstances involved excruciating pain and humiliation as well as various physical, social, and psychological consequences. Ancient Greek writings report Persian forces castrating defeated foes. Tamerlane was recorded to have castrated Armenian prisoners of war who had fought as allies of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I; others were buried alive. Gibbon's famous work, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire reports castration of defeated foes at the hands of the Normans. The Vietcong have sometimes been accused of castrating US war prisoners, Vietnamese village elders, and others who opposed their policies. Castration has also been used in modern conflicts, as the Janjaweed militiamen currently (as of 2005) attacking citizens of the Darfur region in Sudan often castrate villagers and leave them to bleed to death as part of a campaign of terror [4].

Sima Qian, the famous Chinese Historian, was castrated by order of the Emperor of China for dissent. Another famous victim of castration was the medieval monk Abelard, castrated by his lover's relatives.

Origen castrated himself based on his reading of the Gospel of Matthew 19:12.

Yet another famous castration victim was Bishop Wimund, a 12th Century English adventurer and invader of the Scottish coast.

The Heaven's Gate cult of Marshall Applewhite had several male members, including Applewhite himself, who underwent castration for religious reasons.

Castration - Medical consequences

A subject of castration who is castrated before the onset of puberty will retain his high voice, slight build and small genitals, will not develop pubic hair, and will have a small sex drive or none at all. This practice was used to maintain angel-like voices for choir boys in service of the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. In the baroque music era these singers were highly appreciated by the Opera composers as well. Famous castrati include: Farinelli, Senesino, Carestini and Caffarelli. The Last "castrato" was Alessandro Moreschi (1858-1922) who served in the Vatican church.

In ancient times, castration often involved the total removal of all the male genitalia. This involved great danger of death due to bleeding or infection, and in some states, such as the Byzantine Empire, was seen as the same as a death sentence. Removal of only the testicles had much less risk. That said, the Hijras of India still practice the total removal of the male genitalia.

Castrations after the onset of puberty will typically reduce the sex drive considerably or eliminate it altogether. Castrates can, however, still have erections, orgasms and ejaculations. The voice will normally not change. Some castrates report mood changes, such as depression or a more serene outlook on life. Body strength and muscle mass can decrease somewhat. Body hair may or may not decrease. Castration prevents male pattern baldness [5].

In China, male castration of a person who entered the caste of eunuchs under imperial times involved the removal of all genitalia, that is, the removal of the penis, testicles and scrotum. The removed organs were returned to the eunuch, to be interred with him once he dies, so upon rebirth, he could become a whole man again. The penis, testicles and scrotum were euphemistically termed as bǎo (寶) in Mandarin Chinese, which literally means 'precious treasure'. Eunuchs suffered from a range of urogenital problems associated with the removal of their sexual organs, and they had their own specialist doctors who catered to their health needs.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Castration in humans", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki