August 7, 2007

Insert Your Pun Here

Before I begin this post in earnest, I have to tell readers that I struggled mightily not to write about this local story. I know it has no resonance to overarching policy or national issues, or to anything remotely substantial. Like Allie Shah at the Star Tribune, though, it's impossible to let pass without at least some comment. Police in St. Paul are on the lookout for missing testicles and the men who stole them:

A St. Paul man, complaining of chronic pain, wanted to have his testicles removed. When conventional medical staff refused to do the job, he hired other "professionals" to take off his testicles, according to a search warrant affidavit filed Monday in Ramsey County District Court.

Two or three people operated on the man, Russell Daniel Angus, 62, a couple weeks ago at his home in St. Paul. He was unconscious during the surgery, and when he woke up, his testicles had been removed.

And the "professionals" were gone.

Believe it or not, the story gets stranger from here. After nearly bleeding to death, he called his daughter, who called the police. Angus went to the hospital, where they stopped the bleeding and patched him up the best that they could. Angus won't tell the police who did the operation, though, because he doesn't want to get them in trouble.

One might think that the man's family might have more sense than Angus, but apparently not. His daughter would not allow the police to search the home for evidence of the transaction. They had to get a search warrant in order to continue their investigation, and of course they had to specifically list the items they sought. Shah writes (emphasis mine):

Police searched the home in the 600 block of York Avenue on July 28, looking for a list of items including blood, medical instruments, fingerprints, documents discussing medical procedures, computers, and testicles. Court documents show they seized three specimen jars, medical supplies, a camera, a computer CPU, and other items.

What do you suppose the judge thought when he reviewed that search warrant?

Police believe that Angus arranged for the castration over the Internet. They want to find these quacks before they really do kill someone, regardless of whether the Angus family wants to cooperate. And at this point, I'll stop before really giving in to temptation and writing a series of puns that we all will regret -- but feel free to offer your own in the comments.

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Comments (43)

Posted by stackja1945 [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 7, 2007 6:47 AM

A real balls-up. Or is that balls-gone? What do you do with such a cock-up. Or again is that cock-down? Enough?

Posted by MarkW | August 7, 2007 7:03 AM

At least somebody had the balls to do what the guy asked.

Posted by docjim505 | August 7, 2007 7:03 AM

Sorry; all I can say is "Ai-yi-yi! WHAT AN IDIOT!"

Posted by Mr. Bingley | August 7, 2007 7:03 AM

That's just nuts.

Posted by Lowly Knave | August 7, 2007 7:13 AM

"Balls", said the queen, "if I had them I'd be King". "Nay" said the Jack, "it takes twelve inches to be a Ruler."

Posted by Kevin Fleming | August 7, 2007 7:17 AM

Chronic scrotal or testicular pain defying diagnosis is not an uncommon complaint. The possible etiologies of treatable causes are numerous, but once these are exhausted, a not-small group remains with chronic pain that cannot be treated. Some get addicted to narcotics. Some, like this guy, try to get someone to do a surgery. As here, however, most MDs refuse, because he will quite likely have chronic pain despite the procedure.

Posted by MarkW | August 7, 2007 7:19 AM

To solve this case, the police need to follow the bouncing ball.

Posted by NoDonkey | August 7, 2007 7:22 AM

See you later Hillary, Edwards and Obama.

Mr. Angus is the Democrat candidate for President.

The rest of you are just gelded in spirit, thought and accomplishments.

This guy is the real deal.

Democrats unite! You have nothing to lose but your testicles!

Posted by docjim505 | August 7, 2007 7:30 AM

But then again, why pass up an opportunity like this???

What a cock up! I realize that having that much pain really sucks balls (maybe his wife was a real ball breaker), but only a peckerhead would trust some dick he doesn't know to perform surgery on him. He's lucky that he didn't get an infection; apparently, they gloved up. However, if he keeps jerking off the cops, his nuts will be in a sling because I'm sure that the "surgeons" aren't going to be left holding the sack.

Posted by NY Andy | August 7, 2007 7:41 AM

I seem to recall stories about the cannibalistic serial killers cooking up certain parts first. Sometimes they even fed them to the victims.
Could these "surgeons" be Jeffrey Dalmers who choose not to kill?
Does red or white wine go with flambayed testes?

Posted by Immolate | August 7, 2007 7:49 AM

Making a move on Matt Drudge with this story Ed?

Posted by Cybrludite [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 7, 2007 8:18 AM

Making puns on a story such as this would just be gelding the lily...

Posted by Bouncing Beatnik | August 7, 2007 8:19 AM

Kevin Fleming, your comedy needs work.

Posted by El Coqui | August 7, 2007 8:19 AM

I propose that we send his name for consideration to the Darwin Awards. Although still alive, he fits the main criteria and would never be able to reproduce thus maintaining the purity of the national gene pool.

:)

Posted by El Coqui | August 7, 2007 8:21 AM

I propose that we send his name for consideration to the Darwin Awards. Although still alive, he fits the main criteria and would never be able to reproduce thus maintaining the purity of the national gene pool.

:)

Posted by The Yell | August 7, 2007 8:32 AM

Somehow I just don't find any of this funny. Shame on all of you.

Chris Balsz Jr

Posted by philw | August 7, 2007 8:43 AM

Note to self: Learn from this. Do not, I repeat DO NOT solicit folks over the internet for my much needed penile shortening.

Posted by filistro | August 7, 2007 9:12 AM

There was a poor lad from St. Paul
Who was not all that much on the ball
They took off his testicles
Scrotum, epydidimus and vesicles
And he'll be a Soprano this fall.

Posted by km | August 7, 2007 9:17 AM

The guy should have found someone with some veternary training. It is a very simple procedure.

I worry that he found some gonzo nut cases to do the work.

Posted by glenn | August 7, 2007 9:18 AM

Oh balls, can't think of a thing to say.

Posted by Jess | August 7, 2007 9:24 AM

Ah,
"Nuts" ....

Posted by filistro | August 7, 2007 9:29 AM

philw's post made me LOL

Posted by Clyde | August 7, 2007 9:39 AM

I realize this story about Mr. Angus is no "bull," but I'm going to "steer" clear of it...

Posted by Ray | August 7, 2007 10:32 AM

Note to Saint Paul residents: If someone offers you a serving of Rocky Mountain Oysters in the near future, just say no!

Posted by B'ham | August 7, 2007 10:53 AM

The ideal operation for fence-sitters.

Posted by R30C | August 7, 2007 11:35 AM

There once was a man from St. Paul
...

Posted by Matt | August 7, 2007 11:47 AM

What a ballsy thing to do...

Hmmm, testicles removed by a team of masked people.... Sure it wasn't the IRS?

Posted by halfastro | August 7, 2007 11:49 AM

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.

Posted by Matt | August 7, 2007 11:49 AM

What a ballsy thing to do...

Hmmm, testicles removed by a team of masked people.... Sure it wasn't the IRS?

Posted by Tom | August 7, 2007 11:59 AM

There was an article in the New England Journal of Medicine about 20 yrs ago, a case report on a graduate student in his late 20s who, after extensive library research, used mirrors and meticulous surgical technique to remove his testes, with alcohol to dull the pain. Motive was to free himself of obsessive sexual thoughts. Didn't work. A year later, after further research on sexual hormones, and still obsessing, he accomplished a bilateral adrenalectomy on himself WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, again with alcohol as analgesic. This took him about 18 hours, he was too exhausted to close his abdominal incision, swathed his abdomen in sterile wraps and presented himself to a Mass. hospital for further care. Under anesthesia (of course) the surgeons explored his abdomen and found he had done meticulous work, equivalent to a fully trained surgeon's!

He was psychotic, of course, but what incredible endurance, commitment and skill he brought to his own mutilation. I scrubbed in on an adrenalectomy as a medical student (I'm not a surgeon), retracting bowel out of the surgeon's way, and never saw an adrenal during the 2 hour operation. He did it with mirrors!

Just thought you should know of this, Ed.

Posted by nedludd | August 7, 2007 12:05 PM

We shouldn't worry about this. He'll never have the balls to do that again.

Posted by Andrew V. | August 7, 2007 4:11 PM

El Coqui I would agree that is would be a Darwin Award candidate except for one thing. The story mentioned that Mr. Angus has a daughter, so he is disqualified because he has already contributed to the gene pool.

Posted by El Coqui | August 7, 2007 5:18 PM

Darn:

One could only hope. Let's hope that certain trait of his psyche are only pass through male descendants.

Posted by burt | August 7, 2007 7:54 PM

I don't know of the numerous etiologies of treatable causes noted by Kevin Fleming. I do know of one of them. It is referred pain from a prostate infection, i.e.it has nothing to do with the testicles except for the perception that the testicles are painful. Although every MD should know this, some don't. It may be that Angus just needed an antibiotic.

Posted by jaeger51 | August 7, 2007 9:11 PM

This is a perfect example of what happens to a species when there are no natural predators to thin the gene pool.

Posted by AllenS | August 8, 2007 5:30 AM

This was the second illegal operation that was performed on this man. The first operation was the removal of his brain.

Posted by Texas Bob | August 8, 2007 9:43 AM

Dear Mr. Angus,
As to avoid confusion with regards to our previous correspondence, let me assure you that when General McAuliffe said, "Nuts!” he was not, and I repeat NOT, talking about your testicles.
Sincerely,
Texas Bob

Posted by Texas Bob | August 8, 2007 9:46 AM

Dear Mr. Angus,
As to avoid confusion with regards to our previous correspondence, let me assure you that when General McAuliffe said, "Nuts!” he was not, and I repeat NOT, talking about your testicles.
Sincerely,
Texas Bob

Posted by ThinAndBritish | August 8, 2007 10:18 AM

Angus, eunuchle head!

Posted by ThinAndBritish | August 8, 2007 10:20 AM

Angus, eunuchle-head!

Posted by ThinAndBritish | August 8, 2007 10:33 AM

There was an old bloke who was crackers
And had a pain in his knackers
He pleaded the docs
To whip them right off
But got it cheap-rate from some hackers

Posted by JulieMac | August 8, 2007 6:43 PM

As Sid and the boys would say, "Never Mind the Bollocks"......THEY'RE GONE!

These "professionals" .... Would they happen to work for a firm called "Chock Full o'Nutz"?

The cops were told by their captain to study this case carefully, as there was going to be a teste on it later.

Poached eggs!!

Oh, hell, one more .....

The guy lives in St. Paul, but he sure ain't no Twins fan......

Posted by Texas Bob | August 9, 2007 3:48 AM

Mrs Angus always said he was nutless.
He just wanted to prove her right.

There was an old just about tight underwear that would work well here, but I can't seem to remember it...

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