VOL. LXXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 299 



children at the full time. But what particular circumstances of constitution, 

 or state of health, can capacitate the male to become the father of more than 

 one child at a birth, or how this could be effected, should it be wished, remains 

 among those secrets of nature which our want of facts and observations renders 

 us utterly incapable to speculate on. It seems probable, and these 2 observa- 

 tions, as well as Spallanzani's, and other late experiments, would rather incline 

 us to suppose, that these numerous births depend most on the structure and 

 state of the female organs ; but nothing, that I know of, has ever been disco- 

 vered in this obscure matter. 



The occurrence of 4 born at once we find to be much more uncommon ; and, 

 I think, Haller's conjecture, rather than calculation, of its happening once in 

 20,000 births, very much under-rated, as it appears that once in 100,000 would 

 be much nearer the truth. Of this however we have several well authenticated 

 cases which have happened in this island. In the year 1674, there was pub- 

 lished in London a 4to pamphlet, intitled, " The Fruitful Wonder, or a strange 

 Relation, from Kingston-upon-Thames, of a Woman who, on Thursday and 

 Friday, the 5th and 6th days of this instant March, 1 673-4, was delivered of 4 

 children at 1 birth, viz. 3 sons and 1 daughter, all born alive, lusty children, 

 and perfect in every part, which lived 24 hours, and then died, all much about 

 the same time, with several other Examples of numerous Births, from credible 

 Historians, with the Physical and Astrological Reasons for the same. By J. P. 

 Student in Physic." Dr. Plott, in his History of Staffordshire, p. 194, men- 

 tions Eleanor, the wife of Henry Diven, of Watlington, who was delivered of 

 4 children at a birth in the year 1675. — Sir Robert Sibbald, in his Scotia Illus- 

 trata, after mentioning a case of 3 born at once, adds, '^ Imo in variis regni 

 locis repertae sunt mulieres quae 4 foetus uno partu ediderunt ;" but makes no 

 mention of more. 



In the Gentleman's Magazine, which is reckoned a pretty authentic record of 

 the times, we have the following accounts of numerous births. Ann Boynton, 

 of Hensbridge, in Somersetshire, was this day, Junfe 1, 1736, delivered of 3 

 daughters and 1 son ; 1 of the daughters died, the rest are likely to live. The 

 mother has been married but 4 years, and has had twice twins before, which 

 completes the number of 8 children at 3 births. — October 3, 1 743, at Rate, in 

 Berkshire, Joan Galloway was delivered of 2 boys and 2 girls, 3 of whom were 

 alive. — In January, I746j the wife of Plumer, a labouring man, at Mill- 

 Wimley, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, was delivered of 3 living boys, and 1 

 dead. — August 22, 1746, the wife of Williams, of Coventry-street, Piccadilly, 

 was delivered of 2 boys and 2 girls, all likely to live. — June, 1752, a woman in 

 the parish of Tillicultrie, near Stirling, in Scotland, was delivered of 4 children, 



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