A Short Narrative of an Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbets, Perform'd by Mr. John Howard Surgeon at GuilfordSt. André, Nathanael
History
A Short Narrative of an Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbets, Perform'd by Mr. John Howard Surgeon at Guilford
St. André, Nathanael
Factitious disorders; Fraud; Obstetrics -- Early works to 1800; Toft, Mary, 1703-1763
This Account was again confirmed by two [2]Letters from the said Mr.
_Howard_, the first dated _Nov._ the 6th, 4 a Clock in the Afternoon;
the Substance of which is, That from the 4th Instant to the 6th he had
deliver’d the Woman of three more Rabbets; that the last of them had
leap’d in her Belly, for the space of eighteen Hours, before it dy’d, and
that the Moment it was taken away, another was perceiv’d to struggle for
Birth.
The second is dated _Nov._ the ninth, and is here transcribed _verbatim_,
viz.
SIR,
Since I wrote to you, I have taken or deliver’d the poor Woman
of three more Rabbets, all three half grown, one of them a dunn
Rabbet; the last leap’d twenty three Hours in the _Uterus_
before it dy’d. As soon as the eleventh Rabbet was taken away,
up leap’d the twelfth Rabbet, which is now leaping. If you
have any curious Person that is pleased to come Post, may see
another leap in her _Uterus_, and shall take it from her if he
pleases; which will be a great Satisfaction to the Curious: If
she had been with Child, she has but ten Days more to go, so I
do not know how many Rabbets may be behind; I have brought the
Woman to _Guilford_ for better Convenience.
_I am_, SIR,
_Your humble Servant_,
JOHN HOWARD.
_If you send a Person, let him bring a Letter from you._
[1] This Account was taken the 4th Instant at _Guilford_ by Mr.
_Davenant_.
[2] The Letters were directed to Mr. _Davenant_.
These Letters, with others to Persons of Distinction in Town, which all
agreed with the above-mentioned, were sufficient to make me desirous of
being convinced personally of a Fact of which there was no Instance in
Nature. Accordingly on the 15th Instant, I attended the Honourable Mr.
_Molyneux_, Secretary to his Royal Highness the Prince of _Wales_, who
was inclin’d to enquire into the Truth of this extraordinary Case, and
desir’d me to go with him to _Guilford_: We arrived there at about half
an hour after two in the Afternoon. We sent to Mr. _Howard_, who came to
us immediately, and told us that the Woman was actually in Labour of the
fifteenth Rabbet. We had not been at his House long, before the Nurse who
attends the Woman came to call Mr. _Howard_ to her, she being then in one
of her labour Pains.
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