The Case of Mary Howell, Who Had a Needle Run into Her Arm, and Came Out at Her Breast

Membranes were very strong, but the Humours were very foul, and but small in Quantity, though not fetid. My Patient, who is a Woman of Probity and good Understanding, declared, from strong Reasons, that she conceived at the Time above-mentioned, and was delivered as mentioned before; the Twists in the Navel-string are Demonstration, that the Fœtus moved in the Matrix, in the manner my Patient described. The Oddness of the Case made me more particular in giving a true History of it, which, I hope, will be an Excuse for my Prolivity. I need not here mention the exact Resemblance of the Fœtus to a hooded Monkey: The Fœtus itself will shew it more particularly than I can relate it. I aver the above Case to be strictly true, to the best of my Knowledge, as witness my Hand this 30th Day of April 1733. From Rochester. William Gregory. IV. The Case of Mary Howell, who had a Needle run into her Arm, and came out at her Breast. Mary Howell, late of Oswaldestry in Shropshire, Spinster, had on the 3d Day of March 1732. a small Needle, which she had stuck upon the Sleeve of her Gown, by her accidentally running against a Door, drove, with some Thread twisted about it, into her Left Arm, about Six Inches below her Shoulder; and a young Woman, (one Mary Price) endeavouring to draw out the said Needle, broke off the Eye thereof, and left the Needle in her Arm: Upon which she directly applied to Mr. Tomkins, a Surgeon, in the same Town, who endeavoured to extract it, but could not, without laying her Arm open, which she would not suffer. About a Month after which she felt a gnawing Pain above the Place where the Needle ran in, and up to her Left Shoulder, which lasted her Three or Four Days, and so returned by Fits, till at length (about 17 Weeks ago) she felt a gnawing Pain (she thought) at her Stomach, which made her very sick, and reaching to Vomit, and continued to afflict her (especially in the Mornings) till about the Sunday after Easter last; in the Evening of which Day she fancied a Pin was got into her Right Breast, in the under Part; and Two Days after applied to Mr. Robert Nanney, Surgeon, in Fetter-lane, who the same Day lanced her said Breast, and extracted the same Needle, as she verily believes, as having no Eye, but the Thread still twisted round it.—Which Needle, about an Inch long, without an Eye, and with Thread still twisted about it, she produced before several; and she faith, that from the Time of the said Needle being so drawn forth, she never had any Return of Pain in her Breast, Stomach, Shoulder, or Arm. London, June 2. 1739. V. Mr.