In reply: I thank Darby for his correction of the historical facts, and for raising for further discussion the ethics of circumcision. While I concur that removal of the prepuce for cosmetic reasons may not be in the interests of the child, we do need to allow for the parents' perceptions, and for their willingness and ability to care for the prepuce appropriately, if we refuse to perform a circumcision. While the risks from a well-cared-for prepuce are very low, the foreskin being retained does come with potential problems.
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