Page:The Female-Impersonators 1922 book scan.djvu/290

 I. What a New York Official Physician Has to Say about Fairies.

In of December, 1920, I had an article: The Biological Sport of Fairieism. Readers completely out of touch with Underworld life evidently thought I was telling a fairy tale. Apparently the editor of the appealed for corroboration to a physician likely to be one of the best authorities in the United States on my subject, Perry M. Lichtenstein, M.D., Ll.B., Physician to City Prison, "Tombs" (New York's principal jail), House of Detention, etc., all of New York City. Apparently there resulted the valuable and interesting article, The "Fairy" and the Lady Lover, in of August, 1921. Its writer has enjoyed almost unparalleled opportunities for examination of the very fairies whose existence had been called in question. I quote a small fraction, but the whole paper should be read by every devotee of Aesculapius. Knowledge of its contents is very necessary for every practitioner. I use my spelling of "fairie." My own comments are in brackets. The for November, 1921, contained quite a lengthy reply of mine. Dr. Lichtenstein begins his paper:

"Does the 'fairie' or 'fag' really exist? This question has been asked time and again. There is no doubt [262]