a Cafe of numerous Births . 
349 
Obfervations on numerous Births . 
% 
THOUGH the females of the human fpecies produce 
moft commonly but one child at a birth ; and though 
their formation with only two breads, and one nipple to 
each, renders it probable they were not originally intended to 
produce in general more than two ; yet, from what we know 
of the womb and its appendages, and what from the lated 
experiments we are led to conjecture as to the mode of con- 
ception, we cannot prefume a priori to fet limits to the 
fertility of nature, nor determine decifively what number of 
foetufes may be conceived and nourilhed to a certain period 
in the human uterus at the lame time. 
The prefent lingular and well-atteded cafe allures us, that 
five have certainly been born at once, and we have no title 
abfolutely to reject all the tedimonies of even more numerous 
births, or to fay that, in fome rare indances, this number has 
never been exceeded. 
What has tended to render relations of this fort ridiculous, 
and to throw a degree of diferedit on the whole, is the many 
marvellous, and evidently ablurd and incredible hidories, which 
not only the retailers of prodigies, but even the credulous 
writers of medical obfervations, have colle&ed. 
I need only refer thofe, who wilh to amufe themfelves with 
furpriling relations of this kind, to the curious collections of 
Schenkius, SchurigiUs, Ambrose Parey, and others. 
But, in order to Ihew how very uncommon births of this 
kind are, and how truly fingular the cafe communicated by 
Mr. Hull to Dr. Blane is, I take the liberty to fubjoin a 
Ihort 
