In the very begining (the early 1870's) it started being done to curb masturbation and quickly evolved to be the cure for what ever dread disease was the most feared at the time. This included paralysis, blindness and tuberculosis. This same tactic is still being tried today with claims that it prevents cancer and HIV/AIDS, the two most feared diseases of modern society. Circumcision has always been a cure looking for something to cure.
In the early days, few people could even read and far, far fewer had access to medical libraries or the education to understand what they were reading. In this environment, they had to depend on the advise of doctors and the doctors were telling them that circumcsion was almost a necessity. Then, just as now, reason and common sense was in short supply. Regardless of the fact that almost all men were intact and happy and healthy, they believed what the doctors told them. It became "common knowledge" that circumcision was medically beneficial and not harmful to the man. It was not until the advent of the internet that this information was widely available to all. The truth is that there is no benefit, only harm from circumcision yet, current day doctors keep preaching the mantra that circumcision is almost inevitable at some point in a man's life. Sadly, few question them because it's "common knowledge" and few people are intelligent and educated enough to question the doctor.
The good thing is that doctors are having to face this issue head on and learn about the truth. Some are fighting it tooth and nail but all will eventually come around. (or die)
Frank
In the early days, few people could even read and far, far fewer had access to medical libraries or the education to understand what they were reading. In this environment, they had to depend on the advise of doctors and the doctors were telling them that circumcsion was almost a necessity. Then, just as now, reason and common sense was in short supply. Regardless of the fact that almost all men were intact and happy and healthy, they believed what the doctors told them. It became "common knowledge" that circumcision was medically beneficial and not harmful to the man. It was not until the advent of the internet that this information was widely available to all. The truth is that there is no benefit, only harm from circumcision yet, current day doctors keep preaching the mantra that circumcision is almost inevitable at some point in a man's life. Sadly, few question them because it's "common knowledge" and few people are intelligent and educated enough to question the doctor.
The good thing is that doctors are having to face this issue head on and learn about the truth. Some are fighting it tooth and nail but all will eventually come around. (or die)
Frank
and changing the subject, but she persisted with descriptions of the circ and all the trouble they had to go through to get it done 
: She told me she and her husband and 2 year old DS were outside the surgeon's office waiting for the circumcision to be done while the baby was wailing hysterically inside the office. Her 2 year old DS was saying "baby hurt?" and looking very concerned and she was telling him "no baby's fine"
