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Sextuplets and Higher Multiparous Births: A critical review of history and legend from Aristoteles to the 20th century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2016

Claudius F. Mayer
Claudius F. Mayer*
Affiliation:
Index-Catalogue of the Surgeon-General’s Library, Washington, 25, D.C., U. S. A.

Abstract

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Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 1 , Issue 3 , September 1952 , pp. 242 - 276
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1952

References

89 Hellin, D., Die Ursachen der Multiparität der uniparen Tiere. Münch., 1895Google Scholar.

90 Lotze, R., Zwillinge (Oehringen, 1937)Google Scholar (Forms v. 6, Neue Folge, of Monogr. Schr. Deut. Naturkde, 1937). - On p. 24: “Sechslinge sind nur in ganz wenigen Fällen, Siebenlinge überhaupt erst einmal (Hameln 1600) beobachtet worden”. The same case of septuplets is referred to on p. 76, with addition: “… Sonst ist kein Fall von Sieblingen bekannt”. - For this case see No. 40 among the following septuplet cases.

91 For further description of this case see No. 40 below.

92 Plinius, , Historiae naturalis libri xxxvii (5v.; Lpz., Tauchnitz, 1830), v. 2, p. 9Google Scholar (Lib. 7, Chap. 3): “…Et in Aegypto septenos uno utero simul gigni auctor est Trogus.” I could not find this passage in the work of Trogus or in the Epitome made by Justinus.

93 Thus, e. g., Schenck, J., Observ. med. libri 7 (Frankf., 1609), on p. 642Google Scholar &c.

94 Schlieben, E., Mehrlingsgeburten in Sage und Geschichte. Zschr. ärztl. Fortbild., 1936, 33: 233; 263.Google Scholar

95 Ibidem.

96 Strabo, , Geographia (Falconer ed., pp. 989–90): “Narrat Aristoteles quandam septem geminos peperisse”.Google Scholar

97 Osiander, J. F., jun., Handb. d. Entbindungskunst. 2. Aufl., Tüb., 1829, p. 299.Google Scholar This author believes that in the interpretation of Aristoteles the Greek “penta” was mistaken for “Hepta”.

98 The Chronica of Sigebert of Gembloux, and the Historia Langobardorum of Paulus Diaconus are quoted by 16th century writers (SCHENCK; LYCOSTHENES) who were successful in making four or five instances of septuplets out of a single event.

99 Schenck J., loc. cit. (cf. Footnote 93), p. 642 quotes the legend from Sigebert’s work as follows: “Lamisii Longobardorum regis mater septem uno partu edens filios, eos in piscinam quandam proiecit. Quos cum Agelmundus primus Longobardorum Rex, (post Ibor et Agion) iter faciens hasta revolveret, Lamissius hastam eius firmiter tenuit. Ab eo igitur nutritus postmodum, et regni haeres factus est”. Cf. also Bastin A., in Aesculape, Par., 1929, 19: 282-98.

100 Lycosthenes, C., Prodigiorum ac ostentorum chronica (Basel, 1557), p. 284Google Scholar: describes the legend without mentioning the name or the fate of the rescued child. The mother is a com mon “meretrix” in his book. The author marked this event of multiparity with a woodcut on the margin illustrating a pregnant woman whose abdomen was so heavy that she had to use a sling in order to uphold the weight. The same figure occurs in the book several times, always when the text reports a case of multiparity.

101 Loc. cit., p. 643.

102 Cf. Schenck J., loc. cit., p. 642: “Quandoque formantur in matrice multi foetus, etiam 4, et 5, et 6, et 7, and plures decem. Compertum habeo quandam mulierem abortiendo emisisse septem, et aliam 15 omnes formatos”. Cf. Footnote 40 for French translation.

103 Enciclopedia universal, 1907, v. 26: p. 802Google Scholar, etc.

104 For a complete history of the legend and its bibliography see Menendez Pidal, K., La leyenda de los injantes de Lara (1896)Google Scholar. See also Cueva, Juan De La, Tragedia de los siete infantes de Lara (Sevilla 1579)Google Scholar. Also Los famosos hechos de Mudarra (1583). Also Vega Carpio, L. F. De (1562-1635): El bastardo Mudarra (1612). Also Hurtado De Velarde, Gran tragedia de los siete infantes de Lara (1615). Also Oto Venio, Historia septem infantium de Lara (1612). Also Cosio, Trueba Y, The infants of Lara (in his Romance of History of Spain, 1830).Google Scholar

105 Tempesta’ engraving represents the seven brothers of Lara as their perfection is being admired by Pallas and a many-nippled allegoric figure of Nature. It was reprinted in the article of Bastin, , Accouchements multiples, etc. Aesculape, Par., 1929, 19: p. 290.Google Scholar

106 See Case No. 67 of this paper.

107 Cf. Footnoter 43 to 46.

108 Schmelin, , Württembergische kleine Chronik (1660)Google Scholar, quoted by Schlieben, , Zschr. ärztl. Fortbild., 1936, 33: p. 236.Google Scholar

109 Bianchi, G., De naturali in humano corpore, vitiosa morbosaque generatione historia. Tor., 1741, p. 247.Google Scholar

110 The details of this event were kept for posterity by John Aubrey (1626-1697), English antiquarian, who wrote a work on “The natural history of Wiltshire” between the years 1656 and 1686. It was edited by John Britton almost 200 years later (London, 1847). Chapter 14 of this work deals with “Men and women”. The data on the Bonham septuplets are on p. 71, etc.).

111 The inscription of the tombstone reads: “Hic jacet Thomas Bonham, armiger, quondam patronus istius. ecclesiae, qui quidem Thomas obiit vicesimo nono die Maii, Anno Domini MCCCCLXXIII; et Editha, uxor ejus, quae quidem Editha obiit vicesimo sexto die Aprilis, Anno D’ni MCCCCLXXIX…”. Aubrey J., op. cit., p. 71.

112 Burke, T., Encyclopedia of heraldry, 3. ed. Lond., 1840.Google Scholar

113 Burke, T., Geneol. & herald, dictionary, 18. ed. Lond., 1856Google Scholar.

114 Hasiba, Y., Issan tasi ni tuki. Tokyó zinruigakkai zassi, 1890, 8: No. 84, 233–6.Google Scholar

115 Da Carpi, B., Comment, in Mundini anat., Bologna, 1521, p. ccxxi.Google Scholar

116 Corradi, A., Storia dell’ostetricia in Italia. Bologna, 1874, p. 161.Google Scholar

117 Guzzoni Degli Ancarani, A., A proposito di una gravidanza seigemina. Rass. sc. med., 1889, 4: 437, etc.Google Scholar

118 “Hic est Bononiae quidam Julius Scatinarius adhuc vivens, et foecundus Bononiae civis: qui venit in lucem cum sex aliis foetibus, et ipse fuit septimus: et mater eius erat soror Domini Floriani de Dulphis mihi affinis…”. Cf. also Schenck, op. cit., p. 644.

119 Schenck, op. cit., p. 644: “Igneus praeses Curiae Rothomagensis… septemgeminos (imo etiam plures) … sed inutiles…”.

120 Dalechamps, J., Chirurgie françoise. Lyon, 1573Google Scholar, Chapt. 3. See also Paré, A., The works. Lond., 1678, p. 591Google Scholar; also Schenck J., op. cit., p. 645; also Lint J. G. DE, Ned. tschr. geneesk., 1935, 79: 4648 &c.

121 Bonaccioli, L., De foetus formatione (Strassburg, 1537)Google Scholar. In Cap. 6: “Sed et in Italia septem, et aliam tres (quod assidue accidit) quam etiamnum nos ipsi novimus, abegisse certum est.”. Also in Schenck, op. cit., p. 645, where reference is made to the same work under the title Enneas muliebris.

122 Sisido, , in Iji Sinbun, Tokyo, 1901, 862.Google Scholar The exact reference to the quoted journal was not given.

123 Such a long survival was doubted by M. Bartels who was the first to report this case in 1894. Since the date of birth is based upon an inscription only, it might be possible that the stonecutter made a mistake in cutting 9 for 19. Should this be the truth, then the septuplets were born on the 19th and died on the 20th, which is more likely, cf. Verh. Beri. Ges. Anthrop., 1894, v. 26: 452.

124 Hameln an der Weser belonged to the Abbot of Fulda in the period from the 8th to the 13th centuries. In 1259 it was sold to Bishop Wedekind, of Minden, who won victory over the inhabitants of Hameln at Sedemünde. The legend of the Pied Piper is attached to this event; after 1284 an adventurer kidnapped 130 children (the battle took away the youth of Hameln, no doubt).

125 Lotze, K., Zwillinge. Oehringen, 1937, p. 77.Google Scholar

126 Bartels, M., Sieblinge. Verh. Berl. Ges. Anthrop., 1894, 26: 452.Google Scholar

127 Barfurth, D., Ein Zeugnis für eine Geburt vonSieb enlingen beim Menschen. Anat. Anz., Jena, 1895, 10: 330–32Google Scholar, picture.

128 See Bartels, op. cit., under Footnote 126.

129 E. g., Cook R., in J. Hered., 1934, 25:193-7; also Price H. W., Human multiple births. Hist. Bull. Calgary, 1946-47, 11: 67-77. Also Richter J., Mehrjache Geburt. In: Biol. & Path. Weib. (Seitz & Amreich) 2. Aufl., 1945, 7: Lfg 15: 717-50. For illustration see also frontispiece of May issue, J. Hered., 1934; also Zschr. ärztl. Fortbild., 1936, 33: 264, fig. 8.

130 Price, H. W., Human multiple births. Hist. Bull., Calgary, 1946-47, 11: 69–77.Google Scholar

131 “Venusti, A. M., Discorso generale di… intorno alla generatione al nascimento degli uomini, etc. Milano, Bidelli, G. B., 1614, cap. 59, p. 150.Google Scholar

132 See footnotes 51 and 52. The case was reported by SISIDO, in Iji sinbun, Tokyo, 1901, p. 860.

133 Schurig, M., Syllepsologia historico-medica; hoc est, Conceptionis muliebris consideratio physico-medico-forensis… deinde Didymotokia seu Gemellatio. Dresden, , Heckel, B. Christ. jr. 1731, p. 205Google Scholar: “In Lissabon hat eine Frau 7 Knäblein auf einmahl gebohren, welche auch alle getaufft worden, etc.”.

134 Bianchi, G., De naturali etc. historia. Tor., 1741, p. 249Google Scholar. The book was written 14 years after Father David’s meeting with the mother of the septuplets.

135 The order of the Theatine Cleric Regulars was founded in 1524 by S. Gaetano Thiene and Giampietro Caraffa, under Paolo IV, They were bishops of Chieti and Brindisi (Chieti: in Lat. Theate).

136 Bianchi G., op. cit., p. 249: “… in Insubriae Pago non diu ab hinc, septem simul in lucem prodiere. Namque non ita pridem testatus est mihi R. P. David, Clericus Regularis Theatinus piissimus, nostrique Academici Sacelli praefectus; ante hos anno xiv progredientem se Mediolano Robeccum, ad navigabilem Canalem habuisse obviam mulierem, sibi jam fama notam, quae uno partu septem filios, masculos feminasque, vivos et vitales omnes, cito quidein, at non sine magnis cruciatibus, peperaret; turn vero ex iis primum aut alterum, masculumque obviae ipsius matris vidisse comitem; cujus turn aetas xi aut xii annorum esse potuisset”.

137 Corradi, A., Storia dell’ostetricia in Italia. Bologna, 1874, p. 160Google Scholar: “Tanto meno credibile è il parto di sette figli: il Bianchi di Torino ne porge un caso; ma ei non lo vide, e la sola testimonianza della persona fededegna, che glielo narrava, non ne è bastevole guarentigia “. The case is report on p. 1496.

138 Roy, , Couche avec septe foetus. Rev. méd. fr., 1877, 1: 55Google Scholar: “Les couches avec sept foetus n’étant pas très communes, signalons le document historique suivant que nous communique le docteur Roy, l’auteur bien connu d’un traité sur le rire et le sourire”. Etc. The case was reported also in J. méd. chir. prat., and was quoted by Wickersheimer and Bastin (loc. cit.).

139 Froriep, , in his Notizen 1824, vol. 8, No. 10, p. 154Google Scholar. Also quoted by Lint, , Ned. tschr. geneesh., 1935, 79: 4648–54.Google Scholar

140 Eldik, , in Pract, tschr. geneesk., 1825, p. 187Google Scholar. Also in LINT, loc. cit.

141 Froriep, , Siebenlinge. Notizen aus dem Gebiete d. Natur und Heilk., 1824, 8: No. 10Google Scholar (whole No. 164), p. 154: “… Sechslinge sind nicht so ganz selten; Siebenlinge aber so sehr, dass man die Erzählungen davon unter die Marchen zu rechnen geneigt war… “.

142 See in Pract, tschr. geneesk., 1829, p. 573. Also Lint, J. G., (Multiple births) Ned. tschr. geneesk., 1935, 79: 4648Google Scholar ete.

143 El genio médico-quirúrgico, 1885, 31: p. 660: “Fecundidad asombrosa “.

144 Phillips J. N., Letter. In Lancet, 1885, Dec. 12 issne. Also quoted by later writers, e. g., Foy, G., Plural births. Med. Press & Circ., Lond., 1890, n. s., 50: 304–8.Google Scholar

145 The Spanish magazine of Footnote 143 says: “… haber abortado dichos siete fetos… ”.

146 Reported birth of seven children. Med. News, N. Y., 1899, 75: 180.

147 Shultz, R. C., Multiple pregnancy with a vengeance. Med. Rec, N. Y., 1903, 63: 267Google Scholar. This was a Letter to the Editor.

148 Winckel, Handbuch der Geburtshiülfe, 1904, p. 738.

149 Cf. Lint, loe. cit. in Footnote 142 above.

150 “Woman gives birth to seven sons at once; believed unique in medical history”. Syracuse Post Standard, 1933, Oct. 25.

151 Cf. Footnote 150.

152 Cook, R., “Septuplets “with different birthdays. J. Hered., 1934, 25: 193–7Google Scholar. He referred also to the Römer case (No. 40 in my series).

153 Cook R., loc. cit.

154 Rainard, , Quelques réflexions sur le part multiple chez Jes femelles unipares. J. méd. vét., Lyon, 1845, 1: 117–29Google Scholar. The septuplet birth of lambs is described on p. 128.

155 Kleinschmidt, , Grosse Fruchtbarkeit von Kühen. Magazin f. Tierheilkunde, 1857, 23: 125–6Google Scholar. The 15-plet birth described in this article of K. will be listed later below.

156 Fleming, G., Textbook of veterinary obstetrics. Lond., 1878, p. 143Google Scholar, where reference is made to Kleinschmidt’s paper.

157 Passetti, F., Aborto in una vacca con espulsione dei 7 feti. Clin, vet., 1897, 20: 547–8.Google Scholar

158 Winchester, J. F., Seven calves at one parturition. Vet. Rev., N. Y., 1906-07, 30: 224Google Scholar, with photo (bad). Also anonymously as: Cow(A) with seven calves. Vet. Rec, Lond., 1905-06, 18: 818, photo (better).

159 Lycosthenes, C., Prodigiorum ac ostentorum chronica. Basel, 1557, p. 509Google Scholar: “… et earum unam quattuor partibus triginta filios protulisse, ex antiquorum monumentis hausit”.

160 Borelli, P. (1620-1689), Historiarum et observationum medico-physicarum centuriae IV. Par., 1657, on p. 143Google Scholar, Observ. 44 of Cent. II: “Anno 1650. uxor nobilis D. Darre unico puerperio octo foetus enixa est probe conformatos, quod valde in hisce regionibus insolens est”. The case was later mentioned by Foy G., Plural births. Med. Press & Circ, Lond., 1890, n. s., 50: 304-8.

161 Mayer, G., Trattato di ostetricia. Napoli, 1874, Cap. 4, p. 107.Google Scholar

162 A clipping from this daily was preciously kept until ca 1946-48 by a certain Mrs Bert Tanner, of Lodi, Wise, who then sent it to Dr Newman, the geneticist who wrote his subsequent article evidently without knowing that the hoax had been already detected about 1915. Cf. his: Report of octuplets and sextuplets in the United States. J. Hered., 1948, 39: 204-5. Cf. also Alan F. Guttmacher’s article on Type-knapping and the Ohio octuplets. Ibid., p. 294, where he refers to the 1915 article of Parker. See later.

163 See Boston, M. & S. J., 1872, n. ser., 10: Sept. 26, p. 224Google Scholar. The story was not retracted until 1915. See Footnote i 168.

164 Foy, G., loc. cit., Med. Press & Ciro., Lond., 1890, 50: 304–8.Google Scholar

165 Gould, & Pyle, , Anomalies, etc., 1897, p. 153.Google Scholar

166 The letter of the Clerk of Court says that “… after inquiry I am informed that there is no truth in the statement (of the medical journal). It seems that a practical joker of those days went into one of the newspaper offices here and set up an article which he succeeded in having printed in one or two copies of the paper… (etc.)”. The letter is dated from Warren, Ohio.

167 Parker, G. H., A spurious case of multiple human births. Science, 1915, n. ser., 41; 648–9Google ScholarPubMed. Here the original notice of the Boston Medical of 1872 is also reprinted.

168 Parker’s letter is dated 29 March, 1915. Cf. Boston M. & S. J. 1915, 172: 610: A misstatement corrected. Parker’s discovery was later mentioned by Price, H. W., Human multiple births. Hist. Bull., Calgary, 1946-47, 11: 69–77Google Scholar. See also footnote 162.

169 La France médicale, 1880, 27: No. 48 (16 June), 382; in the “Nouvelles”: “Un accouchement de huit enfants. - On lit dans La Gironde: Nous avons eu souvent à citer des cas de fécondité, mai nous croyons que les annales médicales n’en renferment aucun aussi extraordinaire que celui qui a eu lieu, il y a deux ans, dans la commune de Mérignac. La femme du sieur Fédré… (etc.)”. There was an expression of hope that such a prodigious case of fecundity would be later reported to the Académie de médecine. I did not search the bulletins of the Bordeaux Society of Medicine for such report, however.

170 Lancet, , Lond., 1880, 1: 1011Google Scholar. Also quoted by For in 1890 (loc. cit., see footnote 164).

171 “Otto gemelli maschi partoriti da una cinese”. Il Popolo, 30 Sept., 1947. The photostatic copy of this news was given to me by Prof. Gedda who himself included the case on p. 161 of his work on Studio dei Gemelli (Roma, 1951).

172 It was described in the Erreurs populaires (etc.) of L. Joubert, whom Witkowski quoted in his Hist. d. accouch., Par., 1887, 258. I took the legend from Witkowski’s work.

173 Included in Book 4, Chapt. 4, of the History of the Anhalt Princes by Botruffus. It was quoted by Schenck J., Observ. med. lib. 7 (Frankf., 1609), p. 643: “Comitissa quaedam Querfurtensis uno partu fertur edidisse novem infantulos, quos omnes ad unum usque voluit interimere; sed patre forte fortuna adventante conservati sunt”.

174 Cf. Schlieben, E., Mehrlingsgeburten in Sage und Geschichte. Zschr. ärztl. Fortbild., 1936, 33: 233; 263Google Scholar. He refers to the Zimmermannsche Chronik, written by Froben Christoph Graf von Zimmermann (d. 1563) and edited by Bernhard Ihringer; also to the Handbuch des Joachim v. Wedel, edited by Julius Freiherr v. Bohlen-Bohlendorf (Tubingen, 1882).

175 Witkowski, who quotes this story after Joubert, puts the following words into the beggar’s mouth: “Vous êtes méchante comme une truie, et comme cette bête immonde, vous donnerez un exemple dégoûtant à ceux qui assisteront à votre accouchement”. Cf. his Hist. d. accouch., Par., 1897, pp. 259. Also his Curiosités & c. Par., 1892, pp. 18-19.

176 Cf. Grodefroy, F., Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et tous ses dialectes du ix. au xv. siècle. Par., 1889, v. 6: p. 283.Google Scholar

177 Bastin, A., Accouchements multiples. Aesculape, Par., 1929, 19: 282–98Google Scholar. The Porcelet story is on p. 292.

178 Witkowski, , Curiosité, etc., Par., 1892, 19–20.Google Scholar

179 Bianchi, G., loc. cit., Tor., 1741, p. 247Google Scholar: “An vero tot prodigiosi, saeculis pene omnibus celebrati quarundam feminarum numerosi conceptus, nostrae huic de monstris humanis narrationi adnecti debeant, non satis scio. At non dubito, quamplures ex iis, qui passim leguntur narranturque, multorum foetuum partus, nimiae aliquorum credulitati potius, quam historiarum ventati esse adscribendos. Quapropter… ncque incredibilem primarum Gallicae Porcelletiae familiae parentum foecunditatem neque alia hujusmodi, tonsoribus lippisque notissi ma recensebo”.

180 In Journal des savants, 1 May, 1684, p. 92: “L’histoire de la maison des Pourcelets en France, où a vu neuf jumeaux devenir de fort grands hommes, rend ce fait croyable…”.

181 Witkowski, loc. cit., see Footnote 178; pp. 20-21.

182 Rhomas Fazelus, De rebus Siculis, Lib. 6; quoted by Schenck, loc. cit., Frankf., 1609, p. 644.

183 Pereda, P. P., Scholia in Mich. Joh. Paschali Methodum curandi. Barcelona, 1579Google Scholar, Lib. 1, Chapt. 59, Scholion. The case was also quoted by Schenck (loc. cit., p. 564 and 645): “Vivit adhuc hoc anno qui est 1579 mulier Salustra nomine, obesa et staturae humilis, quae novem uno partu enixa est, quod non semel sed bis ei evenisse certissime scio”.

184 Journal des sçavans, Par., 1684, p. 92. Also reprinted in Collection Académique, Dijon, 1755, 1: 300. The date of the original communication is 1 May 1684.

185 Hakubun zassi, 1890, Nov. 5. See also Hasiba, Y.: in the Bull. Tokyo Anthrop. Soc., vol. 8, No. 84, 233–6Google Scholar. Also Sisido: in Iji sinbun, Tokyo, 1901, 862 etc.

186 Pico Della Mirandola, F., Opera omnia. Reggio Emilia, 1506Google Scholar. The Hymn which contains the Dorothea story was reprinted by Conrad Lycosthenes in his Prodigiorum & e. Chronieon Basel, 1557, p. 644.

187 Cf. Paré, A., The works. Lond., 1678, on p. 592Google Scholar, with woodcut. Also Aldrovandi, U., Monstrorum historia. Bologna, 1642, p. 52Google Scholar. Also many modern writers.

188 Deichsel, H., Ghronik der Stadt Nürnberg (1875)Google Scholar. This volume forms band 5, of the series Chronik der fränkischen Städte. Also quoted by Schlieben (loc.cit., p.236) The illustration which was first used by Lycosthenes for indication of plural births; later it was used by Paré to show the size of the abdomen of Dorothea (Case No. 75) (Reprod. from Paré’s surgical work; Dordrecht, 1592).

189 Cf. Footnote 188. “Jir pauch ist gewesen von nabel einer Münchner elen und zwen vinger breit”. An English ell is ca 45 inches.

190 Paré, loc. cit., p. 592.

191 Cf. Lycosthenes, C., Prodigiorum & c. chronicon. Basel, 1557Google Scholar. Lycosthenes puts the date of Dorothea at A. D. 1499.

It was Lint in 1935 (cf. loc. cit.) who asserted that the Paré woodcut of Dorothea originated in the work of Lycosthenes. I found the woodcut repeated in this work on the following pages: a) p. 284 with the story of Algemund, the Lombard King; b) p. 405 to the year of 1126 A. D. when quadruplets were born in Brabant; c) p. 441 to the year 1269 A. D.; d) p. 509 to A. D. 1499 with the Dorothea story of Della Mirandola; e) p. 590 to the year 1545-50 with reference to retention of foetus; f) p. 592 to the year of 1546 in reference to the faked pregnancy of Margaret Ulmer; and g) p. 644 to the year 1554 in reference to the Grislinger twins and quintuplets in Bern.

192 Cf. Footnote 190.

193 Aldrovandi U., loc. cit., p. 52.

194 Cf. Footnote 184. “Monsieur Seignette, médecin de la Rochelle, écrit à M. Lémery qu’on lui a appris qu’une femme de Xaintonge est accouché de neuf enfans … & que cette même femme avoit eu l’année précédente onze enfants d’une seule couche…”.

195 Aristoteles, , The History of Animals; transl., by Cresswell, R.. Lond., 1883, p. 186Google Scholar (Book Seven, Chapter Five).

196 Albertus, Magnus, Historia animalium; ed. Stadler, H.. 2 v. Münster, 1920Google Scholar (Forms Bd xv & xvi of Beitr. z. Gesch. d. Philos, d. Mittelalters). The reference is in Book 9, Tract. 1, Chapter 5 (on p. 695 of this edition).

197 Plinius, , Historia naturalis libri xxxvii. 5 vol. Lpz., Tauchnitz, 1830Google Scholar. The reference is in Book Seven, Chapter Nine (p. 12 of vol. 2 of my copy of Pliny): “Extat in monumentis etiam medicorum, et quibus talia consectari curae fuit, uno abortu duodecim puerperia egesta”.

Cf. Also Aldrovandi (loc. cit., p. 52), Paré (loe. cit., p. 591).

198 Brusch, K. (1518-1557 or 1559), De monasterio Vinearum. The legend was also quoted by Schenck (loc. cit.), p. 643Google Scholar, and by other later authors as M. G. Levi, Dizionario classico di medicina (15v. Venez., G. Antonelli, 1834: under article “Gemello”).

199 Allgemeine deutsche Biographie. Lpz., v. 41: Welf I, p. 666: “An den Namen der Familie knüpft die auch anderwärts wiederkehrende Sage von elf Knäblein, welche die Mutter ertränken lassen will, die damit beauftragte Alte dem Vater ais junge Wölflein ausgibt”.

200 Vingtrinier, M. E. A., Histoire des journaux de Lyon. 1852Google Scholar His description of the manuscript is referred to by Bastin (loc. cit., 282-98).

201 Cromer, Martin (1512-1589), De origine et rebus gestis Polonorum libri xxx. Köln, 1589; p. 197Google Scholar. Mentioned in Book 11.

202 E. g., Schenck (loc. cit., p. 643); “Matthias Golancevius, etc.”.

203 Vega, C. De, Artis medendi libri. Lyon, 1565Google Scholar (in sect. 10, chapt. 23). Also reprinted shortly by Schenck (loc. cit., p. 645).

204 Vinchant, (1580-1635), Annales de la Province et comté d’Haynau (quoted by Bastin, loc. cit., p. 291Google Scholar). He puts the place of birth in Bruxelles, and the date at 1276 A. D., strangely coinciding with the date of the multiple birth of the Countess of Hennenberg (which see later). See also Witkowski, , Histoire des accouchements & c., Par., 1887 (p. 256)Google Scholar.

205 Valenta, V.Marchthurn, A., Eine Geburt von 13 Kindern. Gyn. Rdsch., Berl., 1908, 2: 192Google Scholar. This is an entirely forgotten report, formerly not quoted by anyone. The case would be easily traceable in Roma.

206 In his Kitáb at-tasrif, Book 2, Chapt. 75: “Je tiens pour certain qu’une femme a avorté de sept et une autre de quinze, tous formés. Cela est l’œuvre de Dieu…”.

207 Kleinschmidt, , Grosse Fruchtbarkeit von Kühen. Tierheilk, Magazin F., 1857, 23: 125–6Google Scholar. This is indeed a case of 16-plets. It was also quoted by Fleming, G., Textbook of veterinary obstetrics (Lond., 1878, p. 143)Google Scholar.

208 Augustino, Giustiniano, Annales lanuenses, Lib. 5 (quoted by Schenck: loc. cit., p. 645.)Google Scholar

209 Da Carpi B., Comment. in Mundini anat., Bologna, 1521: “Et dixit mihi fide dignissimus Dnus Alexander de Campo Fregoso Episcopus Ventimiliensis et iuravit supra pectus suum fide Episcopali: quod una mulier lamiae (?: Bartholomea in other sources) de egregia familia de Buccanigris peperit sexdecim foetus humanos magnitudine palmi, qui omnes habebant formam humanam, peperit etiam unum animai habens formam equinam, et etiam habebat motum, et omnes septemdecim… erans involuti in una secundina”.

210 Guzzoni (loc. cit., p. 495).

210 Schlieben E., loc. cit., p. 233 & c.

211 Aristoteles, History of Animals, Book VII, Chapt. 5: where you find reference to the 12-plet abortion.

212 IBN SINA (980-1037), De animalibus; transl. by Michael Scott (19 libri). 54 p. n. p., n. d. (ca 1499 ?). I relied upon the quotation which Albertus Magnus had. The statement is in Book 9 of the Arab work.

213 Magnus, Albertus (1193-1280), Historia animalium (Stadler, ed.; Münst, ., 1920) p. 693Google Scholar etc.

214 Aldrovandi, loc. cit., p. 53; has 22 at once.

215 Schenck, loc. cit., p. 642: “Mulier quaedam abortivit xxxiii (Petrus Aponensis legit LXXVIII) formatos uti a fide dignis accepi” (IBN SINA).

216 Schlieben, loc. cit.: The statements of Ibn Sina and of Albertus Magnus are mixed up, and misunderstood.

217 Magnus, Albertus, Historia animalium, libri. Ed. Stadler, H.. 2 v. Münster, 1920Google Scholar (Forms Bd xv & xvi of Beitr. z. Gesch. d. Philos, d. Mittelalters) Liber 9, Tractatus 1, Caput 5: De geminis (on p. 693, etc.).

218 Albertus Magnus, loc. cit., p. 693, line 17 etc.: “et narratum est mihi a veridico et experto medico, quod quaedam nobilis mulier in Germania peperit sexaginta filios qualibet vice quinque, et nullus eorum venit ad aetatem dimidii anni”. Also Line 24 & c.: “… Et narravit mihi medicus, de quo supra fecimus mentionem, quod ipse vocatus fuit ad curam cuiusdam mulieris nobilis, quae fecerat aborsum de centum et quinquaginta simul, et putabat se vermes emisisse de matrice, et cum aperirentur telae, inventi sunt pueri figurati habentes quantitatem, sicut est auricularis digitus hominis: et plures eorum habebant motum contractions et dilatationis et plura alia signa vitae, et in pelvi omnes jacebant ante oculos eius, et erant oculi eorum incompleti, et digiti manus quasi cap illares, et similiter digiti pedum”.

219 Aldrovandi, loc. cit., p. 53. Schenck, loc. cit., p. 643.

220 Here is the version of the legend according to the French obstetrician, Maurice Au (Traité d. mal. d. femmes grosses, ed. 6., Par., 1712, v. 1: 103): “Mais j’estime pour miracle l’his toire ou le conte de cette Dame Marguerite Comtesse d’Hollande, qui en l’an 1276 accoucha de trois cens soixante et cinque enfans, en un seule et même jour, qui reçurent tous le Baptême, et moururent le même jour aussi-bien que leur mère: ce qui lui arriva, dit-on, par l’imprécation d’une pauvre femme, qui souhaita qu’elle en pût faire autant qu’il y a de jours en l’an, à cause que lui demandant l’aumôme, en lui représentant sa misère et celle de deux enfants jumeaux qu’elle portoit entre ses bras, cette Dame lui répondit, que si elle en soufiroit de l’incommodité, elle avoit eue du plaisir à les faire, lui reprochant aussi que’elle ne pouvoit pas avoir conçu ces deux enfans d’un seul homme”.

221 Schenck (loc. cit., p. 643) refers to various sources which make several events out of one; cf. also Ibid., p. 562-563. Variants: a) Mechtild, 1514 children (after Aventinus, i. e. Joh. Thurmair, of Abensberg); b) 350 infants (after Joh. Spiesshammer (Cuspinianus); c) Margarita, 364 infants, 42 years old, in 1276; d) see No. 92 & 93.

222 Maubray, J., The female physician, 1724Google Scholar; has 1278 for the year. It was repeated by Foy (loc. cit., 1890, v. 50: 304-8).

223 De Bianchi, T., Cronaca Modenese. Parma, 1867Google Scholar (Forms v. 6, of Ser. d. Cronache, of Monumenti di Storia patria delle provincie modenesi); on p. 80 of vol. 5.

224 Petrarca, , Vita de’ pontefici. Firenze, 1478 (on inserted leave betw. p. 80 and 81)Google Scholar.

225 Aa, J. J. van der, Biographisch woordenboek der Nederlanden. Haarlem, 1867, v. 8: pt. 1, 592Google Scholar etc. (under Hennenberg).

226 Fregoso, B., Dictorum factorumque memorabilium libri 9. Antwerpen, 1565Google Scholar. See also Mercurio, Scipione, La comare o raccogliatrice… (Verona, F. de Rossi, ), 1642, pp. 60–61Google Scholar.

227 Maubray, J., The female physician (1724)Google Scholar: “The basons are still to be seen in the village church of Losdun, where all strangers go on purpose from the Hague, being reckoned among the great curiosities of Holland”. Also in Foy loc. cit., 1890).

For the reproduction of the picture see the enclosed illustration which was reproduced from the article of J. G. de Lint (Ned. tschr. geneesk., 1935, 79: 4648).

A Dutch translation of the Latin sign was published in Aa’s Biogr. woordenb. d. Nederl., Haarlem, 1867, v. 8, pt 1, pp. 593 & 594. The Latin inscription is quoted by Guzzoni (loc. cit., 1889, p. 491) as follows:

“En tibi monstrosum nimis et memorabile factum
Quale nee a mundi conditione datum.

Margareta Hermanni, Comitis Hennebergiae uxor, Quarti Florentii Comitis Hollandiae et Selandiae filia, Gulielmi regis Romanorum ac postea Caesaris seu Gubernatoris Imperii, atque Alitheiae Comitis Hannoninae soror; cujus patruus episcopus Traiectensis, … Haec autem illustrissima Comitissa anno XL circiter nata, ipso die Parasceues, nonam circiter horam, anno MCCLXXVI trecentos et LXV enixa est liberos, qui prius a Guidone suffraganeo Traiectensi omnes in duabus ex oere pelvibus baptizati sunt, quorum masculi quotquot erant, Joannes, puellae autem omnes, Elisabethae vocatae sunt: Qui simul omnes cum matre, uno eodemque die fatis concesserunt, atque in hoc Lausdunensi Templo sepulti jacent… (At bottom):

Haec lege mox anima lector stupefactus abibis”.

228 Schrijver, P. (1576-1660), Inferioris Germaniae Provinciarum Unitarum antiquitates. 4 pts. Leiden, 1611Google Scholar. Also quoted by Bastin (loc. cit.) and Lint (loc. cit.). The inscription was the following:

“Ista tenet fossa matronae nobilis ossa
Quae, dum vivebat, Lausdunis laeta manebat.
Atque vocabatur Margreta, quiete fruatur,
Quae fuit Germana Wilhelmi illustris
Regis Germaniae, et Comitissa in Hennebergh
Quae obiit anno Domini MCCLXXVI ipso die
Parasceves hora nona, orate pro ea”.

229 Matthaeus, A. (1635-1710), Veteris aevi analecta (’s-Gravenhage, 1698-1710, v. 1: 33)Google ScholarCf. also AA’S, Biogr. woordenb. d. Nederl. v. 8, p. 594Google Scholar.

230 Beka, J., Chronicon Episcoporum Ultrajectensium (up to 1393) included in v. 5 of Matthaeus, A., Analecta (8. ed.)Google Scholar.

231 See Schlieben (loc. cit., p. 235). A slightly different chronological explanation was offered by the February 1758 issue of the Journal des savans. The journal stated that the year in Holland used to begin with 25 March; on 26 March, 1276, when the countess delivered her babies, the year was still 2 days old. In other words, the cursing of the beggar woman meant: “I wish you would also have twins”. Cf. Witkowski, , Curiosités & c., Par., 1892, 21–23Google Scholar; also his Hist. d. accouch., Par., 1887, p. 258.

232 Westerbaan (MD 1622): Ockenburg was the title of the poem. The poem gives the beggar’s cursing as follows:

“… De Hemel wille gonnen
dat soo veel kinderen mevrouwe teffens baar,
gelijker dagen syn in een volkomen jaar.”.
Cf. reprint in LINT (loc. cit.).

233 Cf. loc. cit.

234 It should be inserted here that the ovarian follicles and the human ova were first described in 1672.

235 Cromer, M., Be origine et rebus gestis Polonorum libri 30 (Köln, 1589)Google Scholar. There must have been an early edition of this work in 1556 because in 1557 Lycosthenes made a reference to Cromer’s story on p. 441 of his Prodigiorum chronicon (Basel, 1557).

236 Lycosthenes (cf. loc. cit.) put the date at 1269. Paré had it at the same date (cf. loc. cit., p. 592). Schenck had 1270 (cf. loc. cit., p. 643). Martin Weinrich, De orlu monstrorum commentarius (Breslau, 1595) refers to the case as a 36-fetus parturition of a woman which he found in certain Silesian annals (p. 219 of his work). Cf. also Schlieben (loc. cit., p. 234) where the name of the Countess is given as “Virbostai”.

237 Krantz A., Annales Brunsvicenses (quoted by Schenck: loc. cit., p. 643). See also his Chronica Begnorum Aquilonarium. Strassb., 1546Google Scholar.

238 Fincel J. (physician of Zwickau), Wunderzeichen (cf. Schlieben, loc. cit.).

239 Ltcosthenes, C., Prodigiorum ac ostentorum chronicon. Basel, 1557, p. 593Google Scholar: “…ventrem magno artificio manibus fabricatum invenierunt, pulvinaribus ac reliqua laevi materia suffultum”.

240 The woman was supposed to give birth to a large number of rabbits. Howard, surgeon of Guilford, and Dr Saint-André, a physician, were fooled and they became the object of many satyrical compositions. Two plates of Hogarth (a) Cunicularii, and b) Credulity) depicted Maria Tofts and her rabbits. Cf. Witkowski, , Les accouchements dans les beaux-arts, & c., Par., 1894, p. 193Google Scholar, where these plates are reproduced. See also Witkowski, , Histoire des accouchements. Par., 1887, pp. 248–50Google Scholar.

241 Graaf, Kegnier De, De mulierum organis generationi inservientibus. Leiden, 1672Google Scholar. Also Letter of Leeuwenhoeck to the President of the Eoyal Society of London, in Philos. Transact., Lond. (1677 Nov.) No. 142, 1678, Febr., pp. 1040-1046.

242 See especially Khreninger-Guggenberger, J. v., Das Problem der Superfecundatio und Superfetatio, Lösungsversuche nnd Lösung. Halle, a. S., 1949Google Scholar (Forms Heft 3, neue Folge, Samml. Abh. Frauenk. & Geburtshilfe). He gives definite evidence of superfeoundatio on the basis of factorial analysis of twins. See also Stieve, H., Ovulation ohne Gorpus-luteum-Bildung beim Menschen. Med. Klin., 1946, p. 479Google Scholar.

243 Morgagni, Giambattista, De sedibus et causis morborum libri; ed. Radius, J.. Lpz., 1828. Cf. v. 4, p. 454Google Scholar (Epistola xlviii, art. 54): “Sed nimis multa essent in physicis, quae a me negari deberent, si propterea neganda essent, quia mo dum, quo fiunt non assequor”.