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IX. Account of tzvo Instances of uncommon Formation , in the 
Viscera of the Human Body. By Mr. John Abernethy, As- 
sistant Surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Communi- 
cated by Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. P. R. S. 
Read February 14, 1793. 
I take the liberty of presenting to the Royal Society, the 
relation of two cases of uncommon formation of the human 
body. When animal existence is supported by any other 
than the usual admirably contrived means, it cannot fail to 
excite the attention of the philosopher, since it shews to him 
the powers and resources of nature. 
The peculiarities of the first case which I have the honour 
to offer to the Society, consist in an uncommon transposition 
of the heart, and distribution of the blood vessels ; together 
with a very strange, and, I believe, singular formation of the 
liver. The body which contained these deviations from the 
usual structure was brought to me for dissection ; with its his- 
tory whilst alive, I am therefore unacquainted. The subject 
was a female infant, which measured two feet in length ; the 
umbilicus was firmly cicatrized, and the umbilical vein closed ; 
from these circumstances I conclude that it was about ten 
months old. The muscles of the child were large and firm, 
and covered by a considerable quantity of healthy fat ; in- 
deed the appearance of the body strongly implied that the 
child had, when living, possessed much vigour of constitution. 
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