In order to carry out two of the basic functions of life, excretion of waste product and reproduction of new life, the male sexual organ, known scientifically as the penis, is an essential part of a man's body. Located between the legs, the penis is attached to the scrotum where spermatozoa are produced. To reproduce, sperm must fuse with a female ovum. The penis is made of spongy tissue and blood vessels; blood rushes into the erectile tissue to prepare the exit of sperm. The shaft of the penis surrounds the urethra and is connected to the pubic bone. The foreskin covers the head (glans) of the penis and, for health and religious reasons, the foreskin is removed if the boy is circumcised. The latter is because Abraham, founder of Judaism and a key component in Islam, had to promise God to follow all his commandments, and the 'brit milah', literally 'sign of the covenant' (which used to be offered in a temple) is still in force today when baby boys of eight days-old draw blood. The mohel (pronounced as in the DJ Chris 'Moyles') is the cutter. During puberty, the penis lengthens. The ability to ejaculate begins around 12 to 14 years of age. Ejaculation is the release of sperm-containing fluid from the penis during an orgasm. Conditions which may affect the penis include Chordee, the downward curve of the penis, Epi- and hypospadias, which both deal with the opening of the urethra not being on the tip of the organ, and Peyronie's disease, when the penis undergoes curvature in the erection.
