Jacques Guillemeau was a French surgeon who specialised in obstetrics, a prolific writer and a physician to the Bourbon monarchy. Writing in 1612 Guillemeau says the amount of umbilical cord left untrimmed after birth will determine the size of a man’s tongue and penis:

“…the navel must be tied longer or shorter, according to the difference of the sex, allowing more measure to the males… because this length doth make their tongue and privy members the longer, whereby they may both speak the plainer and be more serviceable to ladies… the gossips commonly say merrily to the midwife; if it be a boy, make him good measure… but if it be a wench, tie it short.”

Source: Jacques Guillemeau, Child-Birth or the Happy Delivery of Women, trans. 1612. Content on this page is © Alpha History 2019-23. Content may not be republished without our express permission. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use or contact Alpha History.