An Extract of an Italian Letter Written from Venice by Signor Jacomo Grandi, to an Acquaintance of His in London, Concerning Some Anatomical Observations, and Two Odd Births: English'd by the Publisher, as Follows

An Extract of an Italian Letter Written from Venice by Signor Jacomo Grandi, to an Acquaintance of his in London, concerning some Anatomical Observations, and two odd Births: English'd by the Publisher, as follows. Having been honour'd here with the place of Publick Anatomist of Venice, though I have given as yet but a very slender accompt of my performances, in comparison of the illustrious example of Mundinus, Veslingius, Molineta, &c. yet I shall acquaint you with some particulars that have occurred to me. In my Anatomical Dissections of the first Year, I met with nothing curious, but the Virsungian Channel, manifestly inserting it self in the Spleen, and admitting a Silver-stiletto, which I had never observ'd in any Corps: And then, a Liver divided into five Lobes, together with a Spleen of the figure of a Saw, of extraordinary bigness. Last year, one drowned of about 35 years of age, had the lacteous vessels so apparent and so big, that having shewn them how they lay in the body, I shew'd them yet the day after, in the Mesentery taken out and display'd upon a Table. Besides, I lighted upon two odd Births; one was of Twin-Females, very handsom, but so fastn'd together by the breast, that there was not discern'd but one only Trunk of the body; which having their Chin united together, seem'd to kiss one another. I could not dissect them as I would, because they were deliver'd to me to embalm, and the indigent Father of them, who look'd for gain, would not let me have them but for a great Sum of money. Wherefore, not to spoil them for the purpose design'd, having only open'd them upwards from the Navel, which was common to them both, I took out the Intestins, the Stomack, the Heart, the Lungs. There was but one Heart, though greater and rounder than ordinary, so that Nature seem'd to have united the matter of two into one. They had two Lungs, and one Stomack, the *Pylorus* of which did strangely branch itself into two ranks in the Bowels. There was but one Liver, but big; for the rest, there were two Spleens, four Kidneys, two Wombs, full of a white matter, like a concreted *semen*: two *Vulva's*, with their distinct *Hymens*. In short, they were so well made in all the other Members, that the Painter, who was employ'd to draw them, affirm'd, That if they were done in Ivory, he would have paid any money for them. The other Monster was a Boy, terrible to behold, born with his Breast open, the Bowels out of the Belly, the Leggs distorted, the Bladder in the place of the Fundament; in the Genitals, besides that the *Testiculi* were close to the Kidneys, there was nothing but a membranous expansion, wherein the Spermatick vessels were lost. Signor *Steno*, who honour'd me with his visit, saw the administration of it, which I had before made in the presence of many Noblemen and Physicians at my house. *Venice, Januar. 25. 1670.* Some Directions and Inquiries with their Answers, Concerning the Mines, Minerals, Baths, &c. of Hungary, Transylvania, Austria, and other Countries neighbouring to those. The Directions and Inquiries, as they were, some time since, recommended by the Publisher to the care of the Ingenious and Learn'd Dr. Edward Brown (Son to that deservedly famous Physician Dr. Thomas Brown, and Fellow of the Royal Society) travelling in Germany, Hungary, Turkey, &c.; are these.