There once was a eunuch/castration FAQ at http://www.bmezine.com but it seems to have disappeared, or been hidden in the “extreme” section. But there are still a few interviews at http://www.bmezine.com/news/bmenews.html
I thought that Cecil’s column about eunuchs was not that informative. It didn’t talk about health advantages/disadvantages of being a eunuch at all, (incorrectly) implied that castrating an adult male will change his voice, and did not mention that there are ways of getting castrated without leaving the country.
The single best resource that I know of about castration is here. It should answer most questions.
http://www.geocities.com/sherrylanina/Castration.html
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Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link:
What are the pros and cons of becoming a eunuch? (14-Jan-1977)
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Well, I’ve heard (but can’t back up) in a voice class that males have to be castrated at an early age (before puberty) to have most of the physical effects associated with being a eunich. Boys in Italy were castrated so they could earn their family income by singing, usually in the church choir.
They would grow unusually long limbs, develop abnormal facial features, and retain their high voice. It really isn’t healthy at all. They can’t build muscle very easily, their metabolisms are slower, and they basically never go through any stages associated with puberty (though they might not go bald when their older, their legs, arms, etc will remain bald).
Again, I can’t back any of this up, so don’t be mad if I’m wrong