CIN (Circumcision Information Network) 2:22

Introduction
This weekly bulletin is a project of CIN, the Circumcision Information Network (formerly CIN CompuBulletin). The purpose of this weekly bulletin is to educate the public about and to protect children and other non-consenting persons from genital mutilation. Readers are encouraged to copy and redistribute it, and to contribute written material.
--Rich Angell, Editor.

VICTIM OF INFANT CIRCUMCISION REMEMBERED:

CAROL COUNTY BABY BLEEDS TO DEATH AFTER CIRCUMCISION
Miami, 26 June 1993

The Miami Herald reported the death of 6 month old Carol City baby, Demetrius
Manker.

Manker bled to death after being circumcised. "I can't express the way it has
affected me emotionally," the child's mother, Louise Manker, said.  "It's
something I'll never get over.  This was my last child." A Miami pediatrician
circumcised 25-pound Demetrius Manker in his office.  After his mother took
him home, she saw he was bleeding from the incision.

Manker subsequently called the doctor several times, according to there
attorney, Patrick Cordero.  "One of the instructions was that she put
Vaseline around the penis area to stop the bleeding." Cordero said, she
followed the instructions to the letter."  Louise Manker's sister grew so
alarmed by his continued bleeding that she called paramedics, Cordero said.
He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

An autopsy showed that his liver and other organs had gone pale from the loss
of blood, said Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Wetli.  "The message to get
across is that this is weird, unusual," Wetli said.  "I've done close to six
thousand autopsies and this is the first I've
seen where a baby died from circumcision.  It's probably the safest procedure
you could think of.

An autopsy revealed a seemly normal circumcision, Wetli said.  The doctor who
performed the surgery, Robert D. Young, said the circumcision had gone well.
"I would not have let him go home if I didn't think so.  Medical examiners
will confirm the soundness of the operation.  Authorities say they will try
to determine if the baby suffered from some rare disease that prevented his
blood from coagulating.  It's also possible that Louise Manker did not
understand the extent of the bleeding, especially because a baby has a
fraction of an adult's blood supply, Wetli said.  "There's two parts to the
story," the deputy medical examiner said, Why was the child bleeding?  And
secondly what was the level of communication if the mother said he's bleeding
but didn't say how much.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES
Contributed by film maker Barry Ellsworth:
You may be interested to know that I have met Louise Manker (now Louise
Robinson), the mother of Demetrius Manker, who bled to death from a
circumcision two years ago in Miami.  I recorded a very emotional interview
with her on videotape about a year and a half ago in Miami.  

Unfortunately, I have been unable to get her lawyer (not Cordero) to sign a
release, so the footage is in limbo.  The lawyer is not, of course,
interested in criticizing circumcision.  His strategy is to assert that
circumcision is normal and safe, in order establish that something went
terribly wrong in this one circumcision only, in order to recover the maximum
damages.  At the time of the interview, I also visited and videotaped
Demetrius' gravesite.

EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. DEAN EDELL
Question:
Your wife is representing a woman who is suing a Marin doctor for
circumcision her infant son.  Isn't circumcision one of your big issues?

Answer:
Yes, and there will be a lot more of those suits.  It's a very clear,
constitutional issue.  It is a medically unnecessary procedure and by law you
can't subject a child to medical procedure that has no medical benefit.  It's
like scarification or the binding of feet.  A parent doesn't have that right.
 A parent couldn't sign a consent to have a kidney removed from a child for
donation.

Question:
Do all physicians agree that circumcision is unnecessary?

Answer:
No, and there are still people who think the earth is flat.   There are still
a few vocal pro-circumcisions physicians.  But the overwhelming majority of
physicians feel it is unnecessary.

Question:
You claim that circumcision is painful.  Is there any question about that?

Answer:
There's no question.  You'll hear the opposite but those doctors are just now
aware of the studies analyzing the spectrum of babies' cries.  It's such
common sense.  Babies squawk if you pinch them--how do you figure they don't
feel any pain when you cut off half their genitals?

NEW YORK CITY UPDATE
Contributed by Barry Ellsworth:
What's happening in NYC?  Shelton Walden, who has a show "Walden's Pond" on
WBAI (local Pacifica public radio) has been running a series of shows on
circumcision - he's had Marilyn on 3 times, then me and Betty Sperlich on
June 8th, and plans to do more shows.  He's very nice, sympathetic, and
committed to in-depth coverage.  His audience is animal rights/veggie
oriented, and they seem to get it. (you can e-mail him at Waldenpd@aol.com).
 The switchboards have been jammed and the response about 90% supportive.
 We've gotten our number out and some new people on the mailing list.

NOHARMM NY had some excitement when a local nurse got fired from her job for
counseling parents against circumcision.  However, she's worried about losing
her other two nursing jobs and doesn't want to go public.  We've had several
meetings recently.  We've been casting around for an action to follow the AAP
but haven't hit on something everyone can agree on.  Discussed have been
actions at area hospitals (we feel we'd have to do several,) an action at the
UN, (no real "event" to hang it on) etc.  We hope we can bring out a lot of
press for our first NY area action, and want to craft something that will
give the right message (medical fraud/cover-up?  International Human Rights
violation?). 

In the meantime we're working on expanding our activist base here in the
city.  We'll hold a public education session on circumcision on Tuesday, 11
July, from 19:00-21:00 at New York Spaces Inc,131 W 72nd St, between Columbus
and Broadway in Manhattan.  This will be a presentation by Barry Ellsworth
and Richard DeSeabra, with Questions/Answers to follow.  We're advertising in
the NY Press and putting up flyers locally.  We hope to draw in parents and
men interested in activism/support/restoring.  Of course, all NOHARMM
activists and other concerned people are welcome to attend.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION call NOCIRC, the National Organization of
Circumcision Information Resource Centers at (415) 488-9883.  Ask about the
resource provider nearest you.  For written information, write NOCIRC, PO Box
2512, San Anselmo, CA 94979,  with SASE and/or donation if possible.

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