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[[Image:Abraham L. Wolbarst.jpg|right|thumb|Abraham Leo Wolbarst]]
[[Image:Abraham L. Wolbarst.jpg|right|thumb|Abraham Leo Wolbarst]]
'''Abraham Leo Wolbarst''', {{MD}}, ({{LifeData|1872|1952}}) a New York City physician, was a notorious promoter of non-therapeutic neonatal male circumcision.  
'''Abraham Leo Wolbarst''', {{MD}}, ({{LifeData|1872|1952}}) a New York City physician and [[circumcised doctors| circumcised doctor]], was a notorious promoter of harmful non-therapeutic neonatal male [[circumcision]].  


==Universal circumcision as a sanitary measure==
==Universal circumcision as a sanitary measure==
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  |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/complications/holt1/
  |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/complications/holt1/
  |accessdate=2020-03-30
  |accessdate=2020-03-30
}}</ref> Wolbarst was incensed by what he perceived as an attack on ritual circumcision, so he resolved to defend ritual circumcision by arguing that [[circumcision]] provided health benefits. Wolbarst's defense of circumcision was published in ''JAMA'' in 1914 and entitled "''Universal Circumcision as a Sanitary Measure''".<ref name="wolbarst1914">{{REFjournal
}}</ref> Wolbarst was incensed by what he perceived as an attack on [[Brit Milah| ritual circumcision]], so he resolved to defend ritual circumcision by arguing that [[circumcision]] provided health benefits. Wolbarst's defense of circumcision was published in ''JAMA'' in 1914 and entitled "''Universal Circumcision as a Sanitary Measure''".<ref name="wolbarst1914">{{REFjournal
  |last=Wolbarst
  |last=Wolbarst
  |first=Abraham L.
  |first=Abraham L.
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  |title=Universal Circumcision as a Sanitary Measure
  |title=Universal Circumcision as a Sanitary Measure
  |journal=JAMA
  |journal=JAMA
  |date=1914-1-10
  |date=1914-01-10
  |volume=62
  |volume=62
  |issue=2
  |issue=2
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}}</ref>  
}}</ref>  


This was before the days of evidence-based medicine, when doctors relied on medical ''opinion'', instead of scientific evidence. Wolbarst collected the ''opinions'' of several physicians and published those opinions as evidence for his argument that circumcision prevented diseases. Wolbarst argued that non-therapeutic neonatal circumcision prevented numerous diseases including venereal disease (now known as sexually transmitted disease).
This was before the days of evidence-based medicine, when doctors relied on medical ''opinion'', instead of scientific ''evidence''. Wolbarst collected the ''opinions'' of several physicians and published those opinions as evidence for his argument that circumcision prevented diseases. Wolbarst argued that non-therapeutic neonatal circumcision prevented numerous diseases including venereal disease (now known as sexually transmitted disease).


Wolbarst's article appeared on the eve of World War I. It apparently influenced American military commanders to order circumcision of military personnel under their command to prevent venereal diseases and improve military readiness.<ref name="hill2002">{{REFweb
Skeldon (2008) commented:
  |url=http://purewatergazette.net/circumcision.htm
<blockquote>
  |title=The Rise and Fall of Neonatal Circumcision: The Irrational Abuse Of Helpless Children
At first one might think that there was now a wave of medical evidence supporting the
practice of routine male circumcision, but a closer look shows that most of these claims
were observational and not evidence-based. For instance, in his article “Universal
circumcision as a sanitary measure,” the New York physician Abraham Leo Wolbarst
(1872-1978) argues that circumcision prevents masturbation. During its publication, this
was already a commonly held view and so was not generally questioned. But if one
considers the implications of this, it becomes apparent that to statistically prove such a
claim among young boys would be virtually impossible. This is why Wolbarst’s evidence
consisted of what he called “authoritative observations” from other respected
practitioners in the field.<ref name="skeldon2008">{{REFconference
  |last=Skeldon
|first=Sean
|author-link=
  |title=The Medicalization and Resultant Decline of Circumcision in Canada
  |trans-title=
  |trans-title=
  |language=
  |language=
  |last=Hill
  |url=https://prism.ucalgary.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/028cdb7b-3536-4b5b-921b-46ba3a2262ec/content
  |first=George
  |archived=
  |author-link=George Hill
  |place=Calgary, AB
  |publisher=
  |publisher=Health Sciences Centre
  |website=purewatergazette
  |source=
  |date=2002-11-04
  |date=2008-03
  |accessdate=2020-03-30
|datefrom=2008-03-07
  |format=
  |dateto=2008-03-08
  |quote=
  |format=PDF
}}</ref> No statistics exist to document how many men were circumcised because of Wolbarst's article.
  |accessdate=2025-01-19
}}</ref>
</blockquote>
 
Wolbarst's article appeared on the eve of World War I. It apparently influenced American military commanders to order [[adult circumcision| circumcision]] of military personnel under their command to prevent venereal diseases and improve military readiness.<ref name="skeldon2008" /> No statistics exist to document how many men were [[circumcised]] because of Wolbarst's article.


The adoption of circumcision as a prophylactic [[amputation]] by American military services falsely stigmatized the [[foreskin]] as being unhealthy. [[Robert S. Van Howe|Van Howe]] (1999) has exhaustively shown that circumcision does not protect against STDs.<ref name="vanhowe1999">{{REFjournal
The adoption of circumcision as a prophylactic [[amputation]] by American military services falsely stigmatized the [[foreskin]] as being unhealthy. [[Robert S. Van Howe|Van Howe]] (1999) has exhaustively shown that circumcision does not protect against STDs.<ref name="vanhowe1999">{{REFjournal
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  |date=1975
  |date=1975
  |accessdate=
  |accessdate=
}}</ref> Maden ''et al'' (1993) reported penile cancer among a fifth of elderly patients from rural areas who had been [[circumcised]] neonatally and had been born at a time when the rate of neonatal [[circumcision]] was about 20% in rural populations.<ref>{{REFjournal
}}</ref> Maden ''et al'' (1993) reported [[penile cancer]] among a fifth of elderly patients from rural areas who had been [[circumcised]] neonatally and had been born at a time when the rate of neonatal [[circumcision]] was about 20% in rural populations.<ref>{{REFjournal
  |last=Maden
  |last=Maden
  |init=C
  |init=C
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  |volume=85
  |volume=85
  |pages=19-24
  |pages=19-24
}}</ref> Their study also shows that the rate of penile cancer among men circumcised neonatally has risen in the United States relative to the rise in the rate of neonatal circumcision.
}}</ref> Their study also shows that the rate of [[penile cancer]] among men circumcised neonatally has risen in the [[United States]] relative to the rise in the rate of neonatal [[circumcision]].


Although Wolbarst's falsehoods were disproved decades ago, they had entered into the American psyche where they continue to exert influence that they do not deserve.<ref name="hill2000">{{REFjournal
Although Wolbarst's falsehoods were disproved decades ago, they had entered into the American psyche where they continue to exert influence that they do not deserve.<ref name="hill2000">{{REFjournal
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* [[Bias]]
* [[Bias]]
* [[Circumcised doctors]]
* [[Circumcised doctors]]
* [[United States of America]]


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