284 QUINTUPLE GESTATION IN THE COW. 
Lessona in the Giorncile di Veterinaria for June, 1855, who 
had it from Signor Cassina, a veterinary surgeon at Villa- 
franca ; the relation is followed by some appropriate remarks 
by the Professor, and as the case, from its extreme rarity, in 
addition to these notes, may prove interesting to the readers 
of this journal, I venture to give a condensed translation. 
On the 9th of March, 1855, in the village of Mottura, a cow, 
aged eighteen years, began to exhibit uneasiness and other 
signs of approaching parturition about eleven o’clock in the 
morning. According to the owner of the animal, it was still 
within twenty days of its full time, and he therefore imagined 
it would prove to be a case of abortion. S. Cassina, who 
had been called in, was about to make an examination per 
vagina, when the water-bag appeared, and after some strain¬ 
ing the extremities and then the head of a foetus presented 
themselves, in a normal position. Some slight traction, 
combined with the uterine contractions, sufficed to deliver 
the cow of a living and perfectly developed female calf. 
During calving the parent had been lying, and after the birth 
it did not attempt to get up; in a few minutes the straining 
recommenced, and an entire placenta was discharged. The 
recumbent position was maintained, and the straining per¬ 
sisted ; so that Cassina, taking this sign, together with the 
large size of the abdomen, into consideration, suspected the 
existence of another foetus, and an exploration confirmed his 
suspicions. In an hour a male calf was born, and in three 
hours a third—a female, and the mother soon after rejected 
another placenta more voluminous than the first. Although 
but little weakened by a continuous labour that had now 
lasted three hours, the cow drank with avidity ; it got up, 
and the three calves were placed beside it, but it did not 
care for them. Some hay was given to it, and this it ate 
almost without mastication. Before long the straining re¬ 
appeared, and continued at intervals until the evening, when 
a draught of tepid wine being administered, they became 
more active, and in a brief space two feet showed themselves 
outside the vulva, then a head, and finally the body of a male 
calf as well shaped and vigorous as the others. In a short 
time, and without any difficulty, there arrived a fifth calf—a 
female, which was followed by a third complete placenta. 
The parturition of the last two calves was long and laborious, 
although they were brought forth in a normal position. 
The previous year this cow had produced twins, which 
were reared; but the same bull had not been employed for 
this fecundation, but a younger, more perfect, and more 
robust one. This bull was so prolific, that in one year it 
