SURGICAL OPERATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1945, Page 3

SURGICAL OPERATION

COMMENT. AUCKLAND, November 22. “How far medical rule applies in this matter I do not know, but I think it should be brought before the British Medical Association, or its council, for the purpose of defining a rule or course of conduct,” said Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court in commenting on a statement made by counsel that one of his woman clients had undergone an operation for the removal of her breasts. Mr. W. King told the Magistrate that the woman, who had masqueraded as a man, had consulted two reputable surgeons for the purpose. The Magistrate asked if the operation was performed for the purpose of giving the woman the appearance of a man, or for a diseased condition, or was it done to destroy the effect of ; femininity. I Mr. King (after leaning over to consult the defendant): I am instructed that it was at the request of the defendant, with the idea of removing any cause for .suspicion, and so as not to embarrass her work as a labourer. 1 The Magistrate: It was not done for any medical reason? Mr. King: No, sir. “It seems prima facie to me that for a surgeon to operate on the human body for the purpose only of enabling her to masquerade as a man is inherently wrong,’.’ the Magistrate said. “As to how far medical rule applies in this matter I do not know, but I think it should be brought before the British Medical Association or its council for the purpose of defining a rule or course of conduct. It seems a very wrong practice, but the doctor has not yet been heard. He is not here. There may have been very good reasons for what he did, but I am just commenting on the fact that Mr. King said the operation was performed to make the masquerade as a male.”