Anorchidism: another *recent* affliction?

Last evening, my Barbershop group, The Kentones, gave a fund-raising concert at Petts Wood, in support of a charity called the Anorchidism Support Group. What, I hear you ask, is Anorchidism?

It's a rare condition that people find hard to talk about. It's the absence of testes in boys.

It's embarrassiing for the parents and, in later life, for the boys themselves. Treatment involves injections of testerone in early life, and gels or creams in adulthood. The Support Group was set up in the UK in 1995, because parents of the affected children did not know where to get help or reassurance (other than medical). They felt isolated and even guilty.

All this suggests that the condition is relatively new. It is still not known what causes it.

I am therefore inclined to ask, is this a recent affliction caused by the environmental changes that Man has brought about? We already know about plastic migrating into our food, and oestrogen in the water supply. And remember Thalidomide?

Is Anorchidism another consequence of our misuse of chemicals or some other abuse of our environment?

Phillip