a Cafe of numerous Births . 347 
and (he was foon delivered of a fmall, dead, but not putrid, 
female child. The pains continuing, this was foon followed 
by a fgcond leis child ; to this very foon fucceeded a third, 
larger than the firft, which was alive ; to thefe a fourth foon 
followed, fomewhat larger than the firff, and very putrid ; 
laft ol all, there loon lucceeded a fifth child, larger than any of 
the fo rmer, and born alive. Thefe five children were all fe- 
males ; two were born alive ; and the whole operation w r as per- 
formed in the fpace of fifty minutes. The firft made its ap- 
pearance at two in the afternoon, and the laft at ten minutes 
before three. Each child prefented naturally, was preceded by 
a iepaiate burft of water, and was delivered by the natural 
pains only. In a fhort time after the birth of the lad, the 
placenta was expelled by nature without any haemorrhage, was 
uncommonly large, and in fome places beginning to be putrid. 
It conlifted of one uniform continued cake, and was not divided 
into diftinct placentulae, the tabulated appearance being nearly 
equal all over. Each funis was contained in a feparate cell, 
within which each child had been lodged ; and it was eafy to 
perceive, by the fhate of the funis, and that part of the pla- 
centa to which it adhered, in which fac the dead, and in which 
the living children had been contained. I examined the fepta 
of the cells very carefully, but could not divide them as ufual 
into diflin£t laminae, nor determine which was chorion dr 
which amnios. I could not prevail on the good women to 
allow me to carry it home, to be more narrowly infpe&ed ; 
and I fubmitted more readily to their prejudice for its being 
burned, as its very foft texture- fee med to me to render it hardly 
capable to bear injection. The two living children having fur- 
vived their birth but a fhort time, I was allowed to carry them 
home ; and I have prelerved the whole five in fpirits, and have 
fince 
