The keeper of the bed: The story of the eunuch

From the book jacket:. The Keeper of the Bed was the traditional title of the Eunuch, guardian of the ladies and of the intimate secrets of oriental rulers and despots. This colourful figure was also the subject of stories both horrific and entertaining--and of much speculation. What were the physical and emotional consequences of castration? What was the role of the Eunuch? But this was only one aspect of the cruel practice. Christendom and Europe, for different reasons, adopted castration, and certain religious sects as well as Italian singers persisted in the practice until comparatively modern times. This is the first modern study of a subject that must be regarded as one of mankind's guilty secrets. And yet it continues in other forms even in present-day society. In this remarkable survey the author relates three thousand years of traditional castration to legally enforced operations on sex criminals and to the widely-accepted vasectomy. But fiction, as well as fact, contributes to this study, and stories from such diverse sources as the Arabian Nights, the Bible and the Chinese Jou P'ou Tuan add a colourful and often amusing dimension to the subject. This work demanded an understanding and sensitive approach. Charles Humana has admirably succeeded in presenting the story of a fearful practice with both distinction and discretion.