Death from the Operation of Circumcision

News  The New York Times (New York). Tuesday, 16 December 1856.

Coroner Hills was summoned yesterday to hold an inquest at No. 384 Eighth street, upon the body of Julius Katzenstein, a child nine days old, who died the previous day.

Monohan Katzenstein, father of deceased, deposed that the child was born last Friday week, and did well up to Friday last when it was circumcised by Dr. Simeon Abrahams; soon after the operation bleeding began, and continued until Sunday, when the child died; none of the child's clothes were removed after the operation till Saturday morning at 8 o'clock.

Dr. Abrahams testified thus: I have performed the operation of circumcision several thousand times; it is not customary to see the child after the operation, but it is necessary to have the child washed in an hour or so afterwards in order to keep it clean, this was not done in this case; I performed the operation entirely in the usual manner; in my opinion the child was prematurely born, and being neglected by the parents, died in consequence of these two causes.

Drs. Frankel and Stell who examined the child, gave it as their opinion that the operation of circumcision was properly performed.

The Jury reported the following Verdict:

That the said infant came to his death by loss of blood from the operation of circumcision and subsequent neglect, through ignorance on the part of the parents.

Citation:

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