Doctors in the nineteenth century believed that masturbation would cause one to think impure thoughts, and furthermore, thinking impure thought would cause mental disease. They believed that amputation of the foreskin would prevent masturbation and prevent various mental diseases.

E.J. Spratling (1895) is typical. He gave specific instructions on how to do a circumcision to prevent masturbation:

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Quote:To obtain the best results one must cut away enough skin and mucous membrane to rather put it on the stretch when erections come later. There must be no play in the skin after the wound has thoroughly healed, but it must fit tightly over the penis, for should there be any play the patient will be found to readily resume his practice, not begrudging the time and extra energy required to produce the orgasm. It is true, however, that the longer it takes to have an orgasm, the less frequently it will be attempted, consequently the greater the benefit gained...