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Page 42
But the physical and mental changes that follow the operation in the
young adolescent are grave and serious, and a violent outrage upon the
man's nature and sentiment.
Society can hope for nothing but evil from the man she forcibly unsexes;
but if he must be kept in durance vile for the whole of his life there
is little need for such an operation.
The criminal cases bad enough to justify this grave and extreme measure
should be incarcerated for life.
The cases, it has been thought, that fully justify this operation are
those guilty of repeated criminal assaults.
Such a claim arises out of insufficient knowledge of the physiology of
sex, and the pathology of crime. Emasculation would have little
influence in preventing a recurrence of this crime, for the operation
does not render its subjects immediately impotent, nor does it change
their sexual nature any more than it beautifies their character.
The instinct remains, and the power to gratify it remains at least for
some years. With the less knowledge of surgery of earlier times, a
social condition in which such a practice might be rationally
considered, is conceivable, but with the present state of our
profession, such measures would be unthinkable.
CHAPTER XI.
TUBO-LIGATURE.
_The fertility of the criminal a greater danger to society than his
depradations._--_Artificial sterility of women._--_The menopause
artificially induced._--_Untoward results._--_The physiology of the
Fallopian tubes._--_Their ligature procures permanent sterility._--_No
other results immediate or remote._--_Some instances due to
disease._--_Defective women and the wives of defective men would welcome
protection from unhealthy offspring._
There is a growing feeling that society must be protected, not so much
against the criminal as against the fertility of the criminal, and no
rational, practicable, acceptable method has as yet been devised.
The operations on men to induce sterility have been discussed and
dismissed as unsatisfactory.
But analogous operations may be performed on women. And if women can be
sterilized by surgical interference, whence comes the necessity of
sterilizing both?
Oophorectomy, or removal of the ovaries is analogous to castration. It
is an equally safe, though a slightly more severe and complicated
operation.
It can be safely and painlessly performed, the mortality in
uncomplicated cases being practically nil.
The changes physical and mental are not so grave as in the analogous
operation on the opposite sex, and they vary considerably at different
ages and in different cases. The later in life the operation is
performed the less the effect produced. At or after the menopause (about
the 45th year) little or no change is noticeable.
In many, and especially in younger women however, grave mental and
physical changes are induced. The menstrual function is destroyed, the
appearance often becomes masculine, the face becomes coarse and heavy,
and hair may appear on the lips and chin. Lethargy and increase of
weight are often noticed, and not a few, especially in congenitally
neurotic cases, have an attack of insanity precipitated.
On the same principle on which the radical operation on men was
condemned, Oophorectomy must also be condemned. It is a serious
operation, often attended with grave mental and physical disturbances,
not the least of which is the partial unsexing of those subjected to it.
While these are delicate they are also pressing questions, questions
which, like the mythical riddle of the Sphynx, not to answer means to be
destroyed, yet the sentimental difficulties, are accentuated by modern
progress, for the public conscience becomes more sensitive as problems
become more grave. But as science has prepared the bridge over which
society may safely march, so, with rules easily provided by an
enlightened community all remedial measures formerly proposed--wise in
their times, probably, may now be waived aside.
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