A Short Narrative of an Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbets, Perform'd by Mr. John Howard Surgeon at Guilford — John Shaqi
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
In the _Rectum_ of this Animal, which remain’d affix’d to the Body, we
found five or six Pellets, much of the same Colour and Consistence as
the common Dung of a Rabbet, little Bodies, like dried Fragments, being
matted together with a mucous Matter. The like was observed in some
other Parts of those Rabbets, which had come away before. In the other
Bowels there was a dirty colour’d _Mucus_, of the Nature of that which
is constantly found in the Bowels of all _fœtus_ Animals, and which in
those that void their Excrements in Pellets, is commonly hard and dry;
but the Matter in the Guts of the first Animal was of an entire different
Kind, Colour and Substance from any of the rest, this being like little
Filaments of an Animal Substance. In the Middle of the Gut _Ilium_ of
this Creature, I found a very slender, brittle, white Body, of the Length
of half an Inch, which in Shape was like a very small Fish-bones.
Between six and seven the same Evening we again visited her; we had not
been there long, before she fell into violent Labour-Pains, insomuch
that four or five Persons cou’d hardly confine her to an Arm-Chair: As
soon as the Violence of the first Pain was somewhat abated, I examined
her as before, and found the _Vagina_ perfectly clear; and the Orifice
of the _Uterus_ so far closed, as not to admit of the little Finger, I
constantly stood before her, nor did any Person whatsoever touch her,
during that Time. After three or four very strong Pains, that lasted
several Minutes, I delivered her of the Skin of the above-said Rabbet,
rolled and squeezed up like a Ball, without the least Moisture or Blood
about it; upon which she recovered of her Pain.
From that Time I did not stir from before her, nor did I withdraw my
Hand, but to deliver the Skin to a stander by.
About ten Minutes after, as near as I can judge, she again fell into
Labour-Pains, though more sudden and short than the former; at which
time I again deliver’d her of the Head of the Rabbet, with the Furr
on, part of one of the Ears being torn off, also without any Blood or
Moisture: And as to these two Deliveries, and particularly as to the
Circumstances of the latter, Mr. _Molyneux_ having drawn up an Account of
this whole Affair, for his own private Satisfaction; immediately upon our
return to _London_, I beg leave to refer, for the Conviction he had of
the Truth thereof, to that Account which I have his leave to say, he will
communicate to any Gentleman that is desirous to peruse it.
After this she soon grew easy, and Mr. _Howard_ gave her a sleeping
Draught.
About ten in the Evening we saw the Woman for the last Time, she being
then in Bed: Having felt her Belly, I found it soft, except those Lumps,
which still were in the same Place as before mentioned.
Between the Times of visiting the Woman, we examined the several Rabbets,
which were all kept separate in distinct Pots, with Spirits of Wine, in
the Order that they were brought away.
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