Pain: Difference between revisions

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As a result, medical doctors performed all manners of invasive, painful procedures on neonates without anesthesia or analgesia, including millions upon millions of painful circumcisions and even open heart surgery. Open heart surgery was performed with curare to paralyze the infant but without any anesthesia.  
As a result, medical doctors performed all manners of invasive, painful procedures on neonates without anesthesia or analgesia, including millions upon millions of painful circumcisions and even open heart surgery. Open heart surgery was performed with curare to paralyze the infant but without any anesthesia.  


Flechsig's opinion was not questioned until the 1970s. Several lines of research carried out in the 1970s suggested that infants do feel pain.
Flechsig's bizarre opinion was not questioned until the 1970s. Several lines empirical of research carried out in the 1970s suggested that infants can in fact feel intense pain.


* Anders ''et al''. (1970) showed that measurement of serum cortisol is useful for psychological investigation in infancy.<ref name="anders1970">{{REFjournal
* Anders ''et al''. (1970) showed that measurement of serum cortisol is a useful indicator of pain for psychological investigation in infancy.<ref name="anders1970">{{REFjournal
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* Richards, Bernal & Brackbill (1976) discovered behavioral differences between American boys (circumcised) and British boys (intact).<ref name="richards1976">{{REFjournal
* Richards, Bernal & Brackbill (1976) reported behavioral differences between American boys (circumcised) and British boys (genitally intact).<ref name="richards1976">{{REFjournal
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* Rawlings, Miller & Engel (1980) showed that as pain of circumcision increased, oxygenation of the skin decreased.<ref name="rawlings1980">{{REFjournal
* Rawlings, Miller & Engel (1980) showed that as the pain of circumcision increased, oxygenation of the skin decreased.<ref name="rawlings1980">{{REFjournal
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* Gunnar ''et al''. (1981) recorded serum cortisol and behavior state through the unanesthetized, non-therapeutic circumcision process. Serum cortisol levels and behavior state were found to be closely related. The authors stated:
* Gunnar ''et al''. (1981) recorded serum cortisol and behavior state throughout the unanesthetized, non-therapeutic circumcision process. Serum cortisol levels and behavioral distress were found to be closely related. The authors stated:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Neonatal circumcision is performed without anesthesia and it is clearly stressful for the infant.
Neonatal circumcision is performed without anesthesia and it is clearly stressful for the infant.
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
The authors were still unwilling to use the word ''pain'' and substituted the word ''stress''. <ref>{{REFjournal
The authors were still unwilling to use the word ''pain'' and substituted the word ''stress''.<ref>{{REFjournal
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