[ 8; ] 



of reafon) that thefe are the hairs of tlie foetus which has died 

 here, and the hairs have continued to grow after its death, as 

 they are known to do in dead bodies. If it be true, as Ruyfch 

 fays, that teeth are fometimes found here alfo, it is incumbent 

 on us to account for them in the fame way that they have 

 grown after the death of the foetus, as Bianchi is incHned to 

 beheve they did in a dead child which remained in its mother's 

 belly for fifteen months after the natural period of geftation 

 was ended : So far Aftruc. But it is not neceffary to give the 

 teeth and bones a kind of vegetable growth, fuch as hair is~ 

 fuppofed to have, in order that they fliould grow even to the 

 maturity of adult bones. For we can fuppofe an inofculation 

 of blood-veffels to have taken place between the membrane 

 which covers the bones and the coats of the fac, and in this 

 manner the bone will be fupplied with blood and will grow; 

 and as the teeth and jaws are fupplied from the fame trunks, 

 it is reafonable to fuppofe if the jaw grows the teeth fhall 

 grow alfo, and as the ftamina of the two fets of teeth exift 

 long before they make their way through the alveolar procefs, 

 we may even conceive in this way a fecond crop of teeth to 

 be formed. This conjeflure is founded on numerous obfervations, 

 which prove that parts of animals, which have been feparated 

 from each other, and afterwards brought into contad, do fre- 

 quently unite, and, by their veffels inofculating, have a free circu- 

 lation of fluids through them. From what has been faid of this 

 woman's cafe it would appear that fhe had borne this tumour and 

 its contents for the fpace of twenty-four years previous to her death ; 

 and it is wonderful that fhe could live under it without com- 

 plaint for fuch a length of time. But our wonder will ceafe 



when 



