^ Mr Smith's case of extraordinary developement 



what new mode of considering the expansions of solids and 

 fluids by the force of caloric. 



Aat. III. — Case of extraordinary Physical Developement i» 

 a Boy six years of age. By Thomas Smith, Esq. Surgeon, 

 Kingussie. With a Plate. Communicated by the Author. 



Instances of remarkable deviation from the ordinary course 

 of nature in her more recondite operations are, if properly 

 viewed, objects of legitimate curiosity. For while what is 

 common passes by without notice, or, if noticed, presents the 

 facts too much under the same unchanging point of view for 

 profitable or productive observation, what is extraordinary may 

 be supposed to be attended with such new or well marked com- 

 binations of circumstances, to be seen under such new bearings 

 and connections, as, if duly determined, may not only give in- 

 sight into the causes of the deviation, but also throw addition- 

 al light on the general principle or law of nature which regu- 

 lates that class of phenonema. 



Amongst the hidden things of nature may certainly be rank- 

 ed the causes that produce the physical developement of man. 

 For, though much labour and attention have been bestowed 

 on that subject, and many causes have been assigned, yet it 

 cannot be concealed, that nothing like a certain or satisfac- 

 tory knowledge of the true causes has hitherto been attained. 

 In this state of the subject, the following extraordinary case 

 of early organic developement may perhaps be found not un- 

 worthy of notice, particularly as a faithful statement of facts, 

 and, as far as the writer can discover, of concomitant circum- 

 stances, is attempted to be given ; and as the same channels of 

 observation are still open to supply any deficiences, and cor- 

 rect any mistakes that may appear in the narrative. 



J M the subject of the present case, was bom 



at Kingussie, Inverness-shire, in the month of October 1822. 

 He is a natural son, and, from circumstances unnecessary to be 

 mentioned, fell entirely under the care of his grandmother when 

 he was about nine months old. He was nursed with his mo- 

 ther's milk eight months and a-half only, and, during the whole 



