A mechanical and critical enquiry into the nature of hermaphrodites — John Shaqi
A mechanical and critical enquiry into the nature of hermaphroditesParsons, James
History
A mechanical and critical enquiry into the nature of hermaphrodites
Parsons, James
Intersexuality -- Early works to 1800
Now, that the Semen should lodge in the Middle of the Uterus, and not in
the rest of its Cavity, is very strange, since there is but one Cavity,
and no manner of Partition to confine it in one part more than another;
and as to the Capacity of the Cavity of the Uterus, it is known to be
very small, insomuch that if we may suppose any of that Matter passes
into it, it is impossible but the whole must be fill’d, considering the
Quantity of that Fluid that is generally injected at such Times.
But how ridiculous a Notion must it be, that in so small a thing as the
Uterus, when empty, a hot nutritious Juice should occupy one side, and
a cold one the other; besides, if it were incumbent on Women, after
Coition, to place themselves in a certain Position, for fear of having
monstrous Children, there would certainly be great danger of the Produce
of many; for we may be confident no such Care is taken at those times, by
any Woman whatsoever.
_Empedocles_ thinks, that in the Formation of Hermaphrodites, the Parts
of the different Sexes are drawn from the Parents in the Coitus; that is,
those of the Male from the Male Parent, and those of the Female from the
contrary Sex that begets them. These two Sexes, join’d in one Fœtus,
constitute the double Sex, and an Hermaphrodite is form’d. His Words
according to _Caspar Bauhin_[55] are,
Αλλὰ διέσπασται μελέων φύσις, ἡ μὲν
ἐν ανδρος, ἡ δ’ ἐν γυναικος,——
If we must, from this Opinion, suppose, that no Particle in the Semen
Virile can contain any thing that might contribute to the Formation
of a female Part of Generation, nor in the Semen Muliebre to that of
the Parts of the Male; It is to be much fear’d, something absurd must
be the Consequence; for allowing that Hypothesis held and receiv’d by
_Hypocrates_, _Galen_, and many of the Learned that followed them, that
the Fœtus is always form’d of both these Semina mingled together, it must
follow, from the Notion held by _Empedocles_, that no other than a Child
of two Sexes could be produced, and consequently the entire Race of
Mankind must have been Hermaphrodites, since it was necessary both should
contribute something, in order to consummate the Act of Generation.
Or else, that if the Females should have no such Matter, as is call’d
Seminal, that of the Males would always produce a Male by virtue of
theirs alone, when injected into the Female.
But we are, according this Hypothesis, at a terrible Loss to know (if
the Males had no seminal Matter) how a Female could be produced, tho’
the latter were never so well stored with such female seminal Matter;
because, the former being without it, there could be no consummate
Coitus, and consequently no Female; so that, to sum up this Opinion, we
must conclude, if both contribute, Hermaphrodites must ensue; if the
Males only, Males must only be born; but if Males have nothing to emit,
neither Male nor Female could be begotten, and Generation must drop by
Degrees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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