ANESTHETIC The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) recommended using a local anesthetic for circumcision.That recommendation is applicable to the gomco clamp technique, mogen clamp technique, etc.which crush the skins. (See techniques) The authentic traditional Bris technique does not allow the use of clamps or hemostats, so there is no crushing of the skins.Therefore, with the authentic traditional newborn Bris it is more humane not to subject the baby to an anesthetic. (JAMA April 15, ‘98 Vol. 279 No. 15 pp. 1170) The JAMA study also noted that EMLA only alleviates one third of the pain and runs the risk of producing methemoglobin (hemoglobin incapable of carrying oxygen).It is noteworthy that the manufacturer has a warning not to use EMLA on a baby younger than one month. To Contact Rabbi Shechet call 1-800-2-MOHEL1.