A Remarkable Conformation, or Lusus Naturae, in a Child; By C. Warwick, Surgeon, in Truro, Cornwall

If we go back to earlier Times, the Emperor Justin, in Cod. Tit. de Off. Praef. Præt. Af. says, he had seen venerable Men, qui abscissis radicitus Linguis, pœnas miserabiliter loqucebantur, whose Tongues having been cut out by the Roots, they miserably spoke, or complained, of the Punishments they had suffered. And again, Nonnullos alios, quibus Honorichius Vandolorum Rex Lingua radicitus praeciderat, loquelam tamen habuisse integram, that some others, whose Tongues Honorichius, King of the Vandals, had cut out by the Roots, yet perfectly retained their Speech. XII. A remarkable Conformation, or Lusus Naturæ, in a Child; by C. Warwick, Surgeon, in Truro, Cornwall. Read July 1. ABOUT April 1741. one Sarah Allen, of the Parish of St. Blazy, near Truro, having been married near Four Years, and Mother of Two Children, well-formed and living, was brought to-bed of my present Subject, but of so remarkable and preternatural a Constitution, as must render its whole Life inevitably miserable, the Particulars whereof, from my repeated Observations, are as follows: The Umbilicus is nearly in its natural Site, but somewhat large and prominent, having more the Appearance of a Tumour, than the ordinary irregular Shape of that Organ. Immediately below this Umbilicus, is a large fungous Excrecence, nearly the Size of a small Egg, but somewhat somewhat depressed, of a fiery Aspect, and exquisitely sensible. The Surface is irregular, being composed of divers Granulations or small Lobes of Flesh; and the Basis of it I could not well discover, my Endeavours being attended with much Pain and Difficulty; however, from the branchy Top of it, I am inclined to think it somewhat pendulous. Beneath, adjoining to this Fungus, is another pretty large Excrescence, neither sensible nor spongy, as the former, but of a solid uniform Contexture. Its Projection from the Abdomen is about One-third of an Inch, and, was there a Section made parallel to its Basis, it would be of an Elliptical Figure. In Shape and Dimensions it somewhat resembles the Glans Penis, its Surface being covered with the same fine Membrane, and has a small Indenture in the Top of it, but it is not so large, and has no Aperture in it. Suspended to this Glans, like the Omentum to the Ventricule, is a large Membrane of a semilunar Figure, loose, flexible, and, when turned up, capable of covering some Part of it. Its Texture nearly resembles that of the Preputium, or is somewhat thicker. There is likewise a small Cord or Frænum, which arising from the Circumference of this Membrane, and bisecting the above Glans, terminates under the Fungus. About half an Inch below this Membrane, is a wrinkled Extuberance resembling a Scrotum, but of an uncertain Magnitude, great or small, as the Descent of the Infant’s Intestines, which having broken their natural Confines, form an unseemly Roll from one Inguen to the other. Its Situation is about the upper Edge of the Os Pubis, which, in examining this Part, I found greatly deficient, and I am apt to believe, from the great Chasm which I perceived there, it must be entirely wanting. The next thing to be observed is the Anus. I found the Situation of this Part more forward than usual, at least by Two Inches; and, if my Conjectures be right, the Rectum, from this Position, must take its Course nearly through the Chasm of the Os Pubis. Besides all these Inconveniencies, to complete the Child's Misery, there is a perpetual Distillation of Urine from some unseen Passages under the Fungus, exciting by its Acrimony, every Moment, Pains and Excoriations. To conclude: Its Sex is so imperfect, and obscurely represented, that it received no Baptism till Four Months after it was born; when its Parents, flattering themselves that Nature might take a Turn some time or other for the Child's Advantage, gave it an Appellation applicable to either Sex, as Time and Circumstances should require. Truro, April 21. 1742. Explanation of the Figure prefixed. A. Umbilicus. D. Glans. G. Anus. B. Fungus. E. Membrana. H. Frænum. CC. Prolapsus. F. Scrotum. July 1. 1742. The Society adjourned to October 28. Printed for T. Woodward, at the Half-Moon, between the Two Temple-Gates in Fleetstreet; and C. Davis, over-against Gray's Inn Gate in Holbourn; Printers to the Royal Society. M.dcc.xlii.