Mr. M had anesthetized the region with a topical nonprescription gel containing benzocaine and phenol, encircled it with a rubber band to act as a tourniquet, laid his testicles on a table, cut through the base of his scrotum with a razor, and flushed the testicles down the toilet. To halt the bleeding, Mr. M heated a butcher's knife over an open range and cauterized the vessels. He threaded three fishhooks through the remaining edges of the scrotum to close the wound. To minimize the likelihood of infection, he washed his wound with water and periodically trimmed away areas of necrotic tissue with scissors.
