Eunuchs and Skopzis

[spadone (imported)]

From Barker, Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1924:

Etiology of Eunuchs

Eunuchs are all due either to accident or design. A congenital process that destroys both testicles is extremely rare. As against this, the classic eunuchoids are practically all congenital, due either to developmental difficulties or to pathological processes which have run their course previous to birth. In the case of acquired eunuchoids, the process is one of break down of a normally developed testicle due to excessive function or it is a breakdown from moderate function on a structurally inferior organ.

The eunuch is generally taller than the uncastrated man of his race. The skeleton is disproportioned, both upper and lower extremities being longer than would accord with total height. The increased height is found in the lower half of the skeleton, rather than the upper, taking the pubic bone as the dividing line.

The skeleton is delicately built. The bones of hands and feet are long and slender. The pelvis usually, but not always, approaches the female type, particularly as shown by its transverse measurements. It is lightly built. The pelvic inlet may be widened while the outlet may retain male form. The upper and lower jaws are powerfully developed, giving a heavy expression to the face. The root of the nose is depressed. The margo supraciliaris is well developed.

The epiphyseal unions remain unossified far beyond the normal period.

The neck is rounded and childlike. The larynx is small. Both the thyroid and cricoid cartilages remain unossifled. The prominentia laryngia is absent or shows scarcely a trace. In general the larynx resembles in form and dimensions that of a large child; the characteristics of an adult male are lacking. The voice is that of a boy at the age of the “break,” uncertain, wavering, usually shrill and light toned.

The skin of the face is yellowish; that of the trunk, pale, lacking in pigment, soft.

The hair of the head is abundant and soft. It early turns gray. The trunk and legs are free of hair, but there may be a little hair on arms and forearms. A short lanugo takes the place of hair on face and neck, except that there may be single long hairs on outer corner of upper lip and on chin; these never, however, appear underneath chin or on neck; in character and situation they are similar to the hairs that are frequently found on the faces of old women. The eyebrows are well developed, but never show the bushy hairs that are normal in male middle and old age. The axillary hairs are scarce or absent. The pubic hair absent or limited to the mons veneris, where it has feminine configuration.

The face shows wrinkles even in early life, particularly about the mouth and eyes. In later life it becomes excessively wrinkled.

As regards adiposity, there are two types of eunuchs—the emaciated type and the fat type.

Height and disproportion are more pronounced in the emaciated type; the face has a faded, old-age appearance.

The fat type has a generally bloated, swollen look.

In both types is found the characteristic collection of adipose tissue in certain definite areas, i.e., lower abdomen, hips, nates, breasts, and lateral to the upper eyelids, which last gives a peculiar sleepy expression to the face. In the fat type the fat is distributed all over the body, but in these regions in particular, is excessive.

The musculature in general is weak.

When castration has taken place in early life there is a general under-development of the entire genital apparatus, a standstill at a certain grade of development. Prostate, seminal vesicles and ducts remain in a more or less infantile condition. Penis, if it remains, will resemble that of a young boy.

The functional separation of the urinary and generative apparatuses is clearly seen. While the muscle corpus cavernosum urethrae and the m. bulbocavernosus surrounding the bulbus urethralis have reached a development commensurate with the age of the individual, the muscle corpora cavernosa penis and the m. ischiocavernosus have stayed behind in their development or even fallen a prey to inactivity atrophy.

The vita sexualis may be extinguished, or it may continue in greater or less degree. There may be erection and! ejaculation, the former of short duration, the latter watery and thin.

A report by Tandler of one of the scopzi, Jacob, illustrates well the persistency of the sexual libido and ability in the castrated individual:

Jacob is 42 years old, castrated at 21 years of age. Height is 156½ cm., span of arms 163 cm., upper border sym. pubis to floor 78 cm. He is thick set, broad shouldered and well proportioned except for unusually long arms. The hair of the head is fine, thick and brown; the skin of the face is wrinkled and furrowed, and there are some long hairs at the corner of the mouth and on the chin. The axillary hair is scarce; prominentia laryngia scarcely shows. The thyroid cartilage is soft while the thyroid gland is palpable and apparently normal. Crines pubis is limited to mons veneris and ends superiorly in a horizontal line. Hair is very scarce.

The penis development is the same as in a boy of 14 to 16 years old. Below the penis the remains of the scrotum are manifest as a slight prominence of skin, in the center of which is a three rayed white sear. Per rectum: mere is a scarcely noticeable prostate; the seminal vesicles are not palpable.

Practiced coitus daily. Erection short duration. Orgasm came quickly, ejaculation sparse, watery and thin. Evidently this man had a compensating function develop from either the pituitary or adrenal cortex that almost completely replaced the testicular hormone.