I thought that would catch your eye.

 Is Smegma useful? Yes, certainly. It lubricates the cavity between
the foreskin of the penis and the glans, thus allowing smooth movement
between them during intercourse.

       During an erection, the glans increases in size. The foreskin, on
the other hand does not change its dimensions. It is yielding enough and
thin enough to accept the enlarged glans. Furthermore, the foreskin is
pressed backward during intercourse, and on subsidence of erection returns
to its normal position.

       These movements are not entirely passive but are aided by the
relaxation of the muscle fibers within the foreskin.

       But could these movements be comfortably performed if the surfaces
between glans and foreskin were dry and harsh? Of course not. There would
be difficulty, delay, need fro manipulation. Nature has therefore provided
a “natural ointment,” smegma to ensure easy lubrication and protect this
delicate region of the male genital organ.

       To secure its even distribution, smegma is formed from the whole
inner surface of the foreskin cavity. Recently, Soviet researchers at the
Botkin's Hospital in Moscow have discovered important details of this
process.

       Smegma production, they find, is concentrated in the cells of
innumerable small prominences, minute microscopic protrusions of various
shapes and sizes found on the inner surface of the foreskin cavity.

       The process is a continuous one: living cells are constantly growing
toward the surface, only to undergo fatty degeneration in their turn and
separate off as freshly formed smegma.

       These smegma-forming prominences vary with the age of the
individual. The prominences may be present in fair numbers, even in infants
and young children, but they reach their largest size and greatest number
in men between ages 20 and 40. Thereafter, the smegma-forming prominences
regress until, in elderly men, they can be detected only in an atrophied
form.

       These findings tally with the amount of smegma produced at various
ages. Comparatively little is formed in childhood. A noticeable increase
occurs during adolescence, with its great acceleration of penis growth.

       This is understandable because the penis is developing into its
mature and adult form. Smegma is needed for the smooth operation of
erection particularly during adolescence when sexual thoughts and dreams,
nocturnal erections, and masturbation are common.

       The adult stage follows with its period of maximal sexual activity.
Sexual intercourse becomes a regular feature of life and the function of
smegma for lubrication assumes its full value. Middle age follows with a
decline in amount until there is a virtual absence of the substance in old
age.

       These findings are, of course, subject to individual differences; in
some men, the penis remains well preserved and functional even into extreme
old age.

       Does smegma also contain sebum, the natural oil produced by the
sebaceous glands or ordinary skin? This question has been debated for mary
years but Soviet researchers have at last supplied the answer.

       They find that in childhood sebaceous glands are in fact present in
the inner surface of the foreskin. As age advances, these glands decrease
in number and in adult life occur only at the base of the foreskin,
inconstantly and sparsely.

       Other researchers have found them in rather large numbers in some
individuals. But in general, it is now clear that while sebum forms an
essential part of smegma in childhood it makes no significant contribution
to it in later life.

       Attention has also been directed to certain papules present in some
men on the corona of the glans. Recently naming them "pearly penile
papules" - or P-3, for short - an American physician considers they are
probably more common than in generally realized. They rarely cause trouble
and, since they consist only of a network of blood vessels surrounded by
connective tissue, they take no part in smegma production.

       Smegma is a substance of considerable chemical complexity, but
little is known of its exact composition beyond the fact that it contains
neutral fats, fatty acids, sterols; other lipids and cell debris.

       Scientific investigation is difficult because on exposure smegma
readily undergoes changes in chemical composition and physical
consistancy.; it can differ in color from yellow to white and may vary
between individuals at different stages of life.

       It also varies in amount in relation to the so-called "smegma
producing capacity" of the foreskin cavity. In other words, a long or wide
foreskin produces more smegma than a short or narrow one. This is to be
expected since the function of smegma is to produce a uniform general
lubrication between foreskin and glans.

       How do these matters affect American men? Circumcision in infancy is
a near routine procedure in the United States. Hence, as an American doctor
recently stated, "the uncircumcised male . . . is becoming a rarity in our
society." One must suppose then that most men would lack smegma though an
absence of foreskin. [CIRP note: This paragraph which was published in
September 1970 is outmoded. In 1971, the American Academy of Pediatrics
stated, "there are no valid medical reasons for circumcision in the
neonatal period." In 1989, the AAP amplified this by stating, "It
(circumcision) is an elective procedure to be performed only if the infant
is stable and healthy." In 1995, the AAP said, "A patients reluctance or
refusal to assent should also carry considerable weight when the proposed
intervention is not essential to his or her welfare and/or can be deferred
without substantial risks." In addition, parents are becoming more aware of
the negative consequences of circumcision. All of this has contributed to
the rapid decline of infant circumcision in America. The US government
reported that the intact rate for 1993 had climbed to more than 40%.]

This will be true for those whose circumcision is complete. However the
operation is by no means an "all-or-none" procedure. Surveys have shown
that as many as one-third of circumcised men are left with a portion of
foreskin that partially covers the glans.

Adding to their number those individuals who have never been circumcised,
we find a sizeable portion of men are still in possession of foreskins.
Hence, from the practical point of view, it is important that they should
realize the need for cleanliness of the foreskin cavity. This means, in
effect keeping it free from an undesirable collection of smegma.

       In its fresh state, smegma is a wholesome and functional lubricant.
But, if allowed to accumulate in the foreskin cavity, it becomes changed
into an unpleasant, unhealthy, and bad-smelling substance.

       Such changes are due to chemical splitting of smegma fats and the
action of skin germs, which are otherwise harmless. In addition, foreign
material may gain access to the smegma deposit in the form of dirt, dust or
sand, and urine and semen.

       Normally, a healthy foreskin can be retracted for cleansing and
smegma can be removed by washing. The fact that it is a superficial
substance renders its removal easy, provided cleansing is performed with
regularity. Particular attention should be given to the depths of the
foreskin where smegma is liable to lodge in the pocket between foreskin and
glans.

       To these must be added phimosis, or narrowing of the foreskin
opening at its free end, which in extreme cases, becomes converted to a
hard and rigid ring.

       These are conditions that require medical attention. This is
necessary in order to regain genital health and restore enjoyable sexual
relations, which though foreskin discomfort, may have become a source of
unhappiness.

       Without correct treatment, ill health of the foreskin is liable to
worsen - formation of smegma continues and, without outlet or access for
cleaning, deposits collect and harden within the foreskin cavity. Such
compact masses of smegma can lead to chronic disease, and even prepare the
way for cancerous changes.

       Cancer of the penis is not common in the United States but is
frequent in certain tropical countries. It is almost always associated with
uncleanliness and longstanding ill health of the penis. Usually a
preceeding phimosis is present. Since the tumor commonly develops with such
a closed foreskin cavity, it has been considered that retained smegma could
be the cancer-inducing agent. [CIRP note: Cancer of the penis is now known
to be associated with the presence of the human papilloma virus (HPV).
Cancer of the penis may occur in both circumcised and uncircumcised men if
HPV is present. Additional risk factors are hygiene, genital warts, and
number of sexual partners. Smegma is not now believed to be carcinogenic.]

       Nevertheless, experimental investigation of this so-called "smegma
theory of genital cancer" has had little direct bearing on cancer in the
male sex. Rather, it has been concerned with the causation of cervical
carcinoma in in women. (cancer of the neck of the womb.) This might be
conceivably be induced by smegma transferred to the vagina by the male
during sexual intercourse.

       Such research is beset with difficulties. In the first place,
distinction must be made between normal smegma and accumulated smegma,
which has undergone a variety of changes in the warmth of the foreskin
cavity. Hence, any potential cancer-inducing property could well lie in
products formed by chemical breakdown or bacterial action rather than in
smegma itself.

       A further problem arises in collection of fresh smegma in sufficient
amount for experimental research. For this reason some workers have used
smegma from horses because these animals produce it is large amounts. But
despite repeated inoculations of horse smegma into the vaginas of
laboratory animals, the results have been conflicting with regard to its
inducing malignant disease.

       Clearly a number of factors are involved in the causation of
malignant disease of the genital organs. Whether smegma does or does not
play a part will be known only when the causes of cancerous changes in
general become clear. [CIRP note: It is now clear that smegma is not a
carcinogen. Cancer of the genital organs are caused by HPV and smoking. See
Cancer for more information.]

       Meanwhile, personal hygiene and care of the penis rank high as a
protection against chronic disease. Remember that it is stale and
accumulated smegma that is a source of ill health for the penis. Freshly
formed smegma, washed away regularly and constantly replenishing itself, is
a wholesome lubricant - making for ease in erection and smoothness in
sexual intercourse.
----

Taken from, http://www.cirp.org/library/normal/wright1/ with thanks.
Pay it a visit. 

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