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
As to the Stomach and Intestines, the difference was so notoriously great
from those we had examined, that even in the sucking Rabbet, the Stomach
and _Cœcum_ were at least three times larger than those parts in the
præternatural ones.
I shall give no other Account of the Woman, than what I think pertinent
to this Subject: By the several Questions which I put to her, I was
informed, that she was born and bred at _Godlyman_; She seem’d to be of
a healthy strong Constitution, of a small size, and fair Complexion; of
a very stupid and sullen Temper: She can neither write nor read: She
has been married about six Years to one _Joshua Toft_, Junior, a poor
Journey-man Clothier at _Godlyman_, by whom she has had three Children.
The account she further gave of herself, was, that on the 23d of _April_
last, as she was weeding in a Field, she saw a Rabbet spring up near
her, after which she ran, with another Woman that was at work just by
her; this set her a longing for Rabbets, being then, as she thought,
five Weeks gone with Child; the other Woman perceiving she was uneasy,
charged her with longing for the Rabbet they cou’d not catch, but she
deny’d it: soon after another Rabbet sprung up near the same place, which
she endeavour’d likewise to catch. The same Night she dreamt that she was
in a Field with those two Rabbets in her Lap, and awaked with a sick Fit,
which lasted till Morning; from that time, for above three Months, she
had a constant and strong desire to eat Rabbets, but being very poor and
indigent cou’d not procure any. About seventeen Weeks after her longing,
she was taken with a Flooding and violent Cholick Pains, which made her
to miscarry of a Substance that she said was like a large lump of Flesh.
Three Weeks after this, she was again taken with a Flooding, and voided
another Substance like the former, but not so large. Notwithstanding
these Accidents, she did not perceive her self to grow less, but
continued with the Symptoms of a breeding Woman; insomuch that in the
beginning of _September_, as she was working in the Hop-Ground, the
Milk flow’d profusely from her Breasts; and as she had Children before,
she thought she felt very differently from what she used to do. That on
the 27th of _September_ last she was taken very ill in the Night, and
sent for her Mother in Law, who is a Midwife, and a neighbouring Woman,
at which time she voided somewhat, which she took to be the Lights and
Guts of a Pig, which her Husband carried to Mr. _Howard_, who some Days
afterwards came to her and delivered her of some parts of the Animal
first mention’d. After a Fortnight she was Churched, and thought all was
over with her. She told me that her Husband had not cohabited with her,
from the time of her first Miscarriage; and that after the first Rabbet
was brought away, she had one regular Menstrual Evacuation.
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