A Narrative of a Monstrous Birth in Plymouth, Octob. 22. 1670; Together with the Anatomical Observations, Taken thereupon by William Durfton Doctor in Physick, and Communicated to Dr. Tim. Clerk

A Narrative of a monstrous Birth in Plymouth, Octob. 22. 1670; together with the Anatomical Observations, taken thereupon by William Durston Doctor in Physick, and communicated to Dr. Tim. Clerk. ONE, Grace Batter'd, the wife of a shoemaker, of honest Repute, and mother of five Children, now come to the full time to be delivered of a sixth Birth, about twelve a Clock at night began to have travelling pains; and near four a Clock in the morning the Head of a Child came to the Birth: When the Midwife, putting her hand to help off this, felt another, (by its heat and motion) alive; and therefore made all possible speed to deliver her of this. 'Tis observable, that in three of her former five travels she was so quick, as that she was deliver'd before the Midwife came; but now she could not so speedily effect her desire, in regard that not only the first child was suffocated by its stay in the birth; but also the Head of the second turning aside from the inner orifice of the Uterus towards the groine, and the Twins being joyn'd together (as afterwards appeared) made it a different Birth. But the Midwife doing her part exceeding well, and the Mother having nimble travel, was delivered of those prodigious Twins, the effigies of which is here sent you incloied, (See Table 2. Figure 1.) together with an Accompt of what we thought further worth observation. This Birth, as you see, had two Heads, and two Necks, as also the Eyes, Mouths, and Ears, suitably double. Four Arms with Hands, and as many Leggs and Feet. There was to both but one Trunk; but two Back-bones, from the Clavicles to the Hypogastrium, and from the shoulders down to the bottom of the Loins they were not distinct, but cemented and concorporated, after this manner: The right Clavicle or Channel-bone of the Right-hand-Child (being long) joyned with the left Clavicle of the Left-hand-Child. The Ribbs on the face-side of both of them, by the Cartilages or Griftles were united without any intervening Sternum or Breast-bone; and so made a common Chest to them both: And the Ribbs of both on the Back-part were united by the Gristles; and from the Clavicle down to the Hypogastrium or bottom of the Belly there, were so conjoined, that they made but one common Belly, with one Navel-string to them both; but from the Hypogastrium downwards they were divided, and became two, each having the perfect parts of Females. Having with some difficulty obtained the Fathers leave to dissect it, we first weighed this Birth; the weight whereof was eight pounds and a quarter; the Circumference of the left head was about eleven Inches, that of the right being half an Inch less. The Circumference of the Trunk was about sixteen Inches and a quarter; and the length of both, from head to foot, was full eighteen inches and an half. We found one Navel-vein, and one Liver, but that was very large, with the Bladder of Gall seated in its usual place: but there were two Urinary Bladders, two Wombs, four Kidneys, and one Stomach, with the Oesophagus or Gullet perforate and open from the Mouth of the left head; but the Oesophagus from the Mouth of the right head descended no lower than a little above half an inch off the Mid-riff, and there it ended. No further could we follow it with the probe, but doubting a failure in that Experiment, we made an Eslay with a Blowpipe, and thereby we found, that the Wind would go no further than the place abovementioned. Whence it may be concluded, that the Right-handed Child must have received its nourishment by and from the Left Child. There was but one Colon or Colick gut, which terminated into two Intestina recta. So there was but one Midriff, and above that, we could find little or no appearance of Lungs; but only a very large Heart, (with two Auricles,) the figure of which was not Conical, but like a Souldiers pera or Snaplock, or the Ventricle or Stomach; and lying near under the Clavicles, transverse, as the Stomach lyeth under the Midriff and Liver. We did also observe two Ventricles with the tricuspid or sigmoid-valves; as also the Vena Cava and Aorta dependant, and also the Aorta ascending and bifurcate towards each neck, and then bifurcate again. These Twins were exactly like one another; very well featured, having also pretty neat and handsome Limbs. They had their hair more than ordinarily thick, and about half an Inch long, and the nails full grown. We might have proceeded to further Observations, but time and the tumultuous concourse of people, as also the night, and likewise the Fathers importunity to hasten the Birth to the Grave, hindered us. The Mother is at this time in as good a Condition of Health, as Women in Child-bed use to be. Observations on Insects, lodging themselves in Old Willows, Produced before the Royal Society by Dr. Edmund King, July 14. 1670. You may remember, that about the beginning of May last, a piece of old Willow-wood, being sent me from Sir John Bernhard out of Northamptonshire, was produced before you; in which were lodged many Insects curiously wrapt up in green Leaves, in several channels or burrows, each with 12, 14, or 16 leaves round the Body, and several of them with as many little round bites of leaves at each end, to stop them up close. These, thus made up, are near an Inch long or the best part of an inch, put in one after another into a bore made in the wood, fit for their reception. They are in the manner of Cartrages of Powder, wherewith Pistols are wont to be Charged, or like long slugs of lead, as are sometimes used in some parts of those burrows; they are placed so near one another as to touch; in others, at some considerable distance. These Insects observe this method in placing themselves, that sometimes they make a direct way into the length of the wood, sometimes they bore out into the side, and run another way, those Channels being not unlike the burrows of Rabbets; all which they fill up with these round appearances of wrapt leaves, all regularly wrought: In which I find either something alive, or appearances of something that hath dyed there, and is putrified: In some a great number of Mites,