Secondary Sexual Characters 433 



weaker development, but are no better developed on the side 

 opposite to that at which the removal took place than on the 

 same side. The influence, therefore, is a general one, and not 

 one-sided, as has been believed. 



If castration in man takes place in youth, it causes several 

 important changes. The growth of hair on the face and other 

 parts of the body is scanty or suppressed. The larynx remains 

 undeveloped, so that the voice retains the high pitch of boyhood. 

 It is also said that the shape of the pelvis is different from that of 

 men, and even that parts of the brain are smaller. The large 

 body size of eunuchs is likewise supposed to be due to the effects 

 of castration. 



In oxen and horses, in which castration has been carried out 

 at an early age, the shape of the pelvis is altered, and it is said to 

 approach in form that of the female. It also has been shown, 

 in the case of cattle, horses, rabbits, dogs, and fowls, that one 

 result of castration is to retain to a later stage of development 

 all of the cartilaginous unions between the parts of the bones. 

 This sometimes leads to an increase of growth in length of the 

 bones, especially in those of the extremities, which may account 

 for the immense size of eunuchs. Associated with the increase 

 in the length of the bones is a certain degree of thinness in them. 



The statement is often made that the effect of castration of 

 the male is to change his characters into those of the female, and 

 it is not difficult to cite cases that seem to favor this view. The 

 failure of the stag to develop horns reduces him to the condition 

 of the female ; the failure of the male fowl to develop the plum- 

 age of the cock and the incomplete development of the comb, 

 wattles, and spurs, as well as his inability to crow makes him 

 more like the female bird ; the absence of the beard in eunuchs 

 and the retention of the high voice are characters associated with 

 women. These results are so evident that it is not surprising 

 that they have been interpreted as showing that the castrated 

 male has assumed female characters. On the other hand, it has 

 been pointed out that the results can also be interpreted in 

 another way. The castrated male may retain the immature 



