EVEN Hippocrates wasn't infallible. He believed the male foetus was packed in the right side of the body. Medicos stretched his theory to conclude the 'male' seed was housed in the right testicle. So, when couples wanted a baby boy, the husband tied his left testicle to deactivate the female seed. In rural India, just pinching that part of the anatomy during intercourse sufficed. The French went one up, and removed the left testicle altogether, often with fatal consequences.
Jewish folklore cautioned women against excessive passion, since it activated their girl-generating mechanism. Taiwanese folklore suggested plump men marry skinny women to produce girls, and the grey-haired with nubile young things for the opposite. When it came to food, boy-generating stuff had to be spiced with animal blood, rats pickled in wine, raw vinegar, animal testes, and the more edible salted fish and meats. Women had to consume all things bitter, sour and salty.
Egyptians foretold a baby's sex by germinating a patch of ground with the pregnant woman's urine. Sprouting wheat heralded a boy; barley shoots bespoke a girl. Others waxed numerical, believing intercourse on even days produced boys, odd days, girls.
