Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site sdccs6.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!unc!mcnc!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdccs6!ir128 From: ir128@sdccs6.UUCP Newsgroups: net.religion,net.social,net.philosophy,net.bio Subject: Re: Questions on hermaphroditism Message-ID: <1547@sdccs6.UUCP> Date: Mon, 11-Jun-84 06:34:55 EDT Article-I.D.: sdccs6.1547 Posted: Mon Jun 11 06:34:55 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 12-Jun-84 00:38:40 EDT References: <532@ihuxj.UUCP> <772@bbncca.ARPA>, <2084@mit-eddie.UUCP> Organization: U.C. San Diego, Computer Center Lines: 16 In medical school I saw only one true hermaphrodite, a child of about 4 years old. Diagnostic tests had confirmed ovaries and testes, but the latter were undecended and rudimentary. Because of the rarity of true hermaphrodites the literature is very scanty about the functioning of both sets of gonads. However, because of the hormonal complexity of spermatogensis and ovulation simultaneous production of viable sperm and ova appear to be TECHNICALLY impossible. (I took the original questions about masturbation-incest-etc to be about LOGICAL possibilities--philosophical questions about the meaning of the terms involved.)