664 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, [aNNO 1 700. 



woman who acted as midwife, terrified at the strange appearance of the double 

 head, endeavoured to destroy the infant by throwing it on the fire, where it lay 

 a sufficient time, before it was removed, to have one of the eyes and ears con- 

 siderably burnt. The body of the child was naturally formed, but the head 

 appeared double, there being, besides the proper head of the child, another of 

 the same size, and to appearance almost equally perfect, attached to its upper 

 part. This upper head was inverted, so that they seemed to be 2 separate heads 

 united together by a firm adhesion between their crowns, but without any in- 

 dentation at their union, there being a smooth continued surface from the one 

 to the other. The face of the upper head was not over that of the lower, but 

 had an oblique position, the centre of it being immediately above the right eye. 

 When the child was 6 months old, both of the heads were covered with black 

 hair, in nearly the same quantity. At this period the skulls seemed to have 

 been completely ossified, except a small space between the ossa frontis of the 

 upper one, like a fontinel. 



No pulsation could be felt in the situation of the temporal arteries; but the 

 superficial veins were very evident. The neck was about 2 inches long, and the 

 upper part of it terminated in a rounded soft tumor, like a small peach. One 

 of the eyes bad been considerably hurt by the fire, but the other appeared per- 

 fect, having its full quantity of motion; but the eyelids were not thrown into 

 action by any thing suddenly approaching the eye; nor was the iris at those times 

 in the least affected; but, when suddenly exposed to a strong light, it contracted 

 though not so much as it usually does. The eyes did not correspond in their 

 motions with those of the lower head; but appeared often to be open when the 

 child was asleep, and shut when it was awake. The external ears were very im- 

 perfect, being only loose folds of skin ; and one of them mutilated by having 

 been burnt. There did not appear to be any passage leading into the bone which 

 contains the organ of hearing. The lower jaw was rather smaller than it natu- 

 rally should be, but was capable of motion. The tongue was small, flat, and 

 adhered firmly to the lower jaw, except for about half an inch at the tip, which 

 was loose. The gums in both jaws had the natural appearance; but no teeth 

 were to be seen either in this head or the other. The internal surfaces of the 

 nose and mouth were lubricated by the natural secretions, a considerable quan- 

 tity of mucus and saliva being occasionally discharged from them. The muscles 

 of the face were evidently possessed of powers of action, and the whole head 

 had a good deal of sensibility, since violence to the skin produced the distortion 

 expressive of crying, and thrusting the finger into the mouth made it show strong 

 marks of pain. When the mother's nipple was applied to the mouth, the lips at- 

 tempted to suok. The natural head had nothing uncommon in its appearance; 

 the eyes were attentive to objects, and its mouth sucked the breast vigorously. 

 Its body was emaciated. 



