414 OF THE GROWTH AND DECREASE 



Mr. Hunter made an experiment respecting the removal of 

 one ovarium only. He took two young sows in all respects 

 similar to each other, and, after removing an ovarium from one, 

 he admitted a boar of the same farrow to each and allowed them 

 to breed. The perfect sow bred till she was about eight years 

 old, — a period of almost six years, in which time she had thir- 

 teen farrows, and in all one hundred and sixty-two pigs ; the 

 other bred till she was six years old, — during a space of more 

 than four years, and in that time she had eight farrows and in 

 all seventy-six pigs. Thus it would appear that each ovarium is 

 destined to afford a certain number only of foetuses, and that the 

 removal of one, although it does not influence the number of 

 foetuses produced by the other, causes them to be produced in a 

 shorter time.* 



(C) Not only do instances of early puberty and full growth 

 frequently occur, but likewise of deficient and exuberant growth. 



Dwarfs are generally born of the same size as other children, 

 but after a few years suddenly cease to grow. They are said to 

 be commonly ill-shaped, to have large heads, and to be stupid 

 or malicious, f and old age comes upon them very early. The 

 three foreign dwarfs lately exhibited in London, two men and 

 one woman, had certainly large heads and flat noses, but in other 

 respects were well made. The tallest of the three seemed a 

 sulky creature, but the woman was very ingenious and obliging, 

 and Simon Paap — the least of the three, appeared very amiable. 

 He was twenty-eight inches high and twenty-six years old. 



be found in the Lond. Med. Sf Physic. Journal. 1819. p. 512 sq. where another 

 is quoted from Thcden. I believe I know a case of this kind myself, but dis- 

 section only can clear up the matter. 



* An experiment to determine the effect of extirpating one ovarium upon the 

 number of young produced. In his Observations on certain parts, Sfc. 



t It will r.ot be easy to produce me an instance of any one giant or of any 

 one dwarf perfectly sound in heart and mind, i. e. in the same degree with a 

 thousand other individuals who are regularly constituted. Great mental weak- 

 ness is the usual portion of giants, gross stupidity that of dwarfs." Lavater, 

 Physiognomy. 



