The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-30

VuSHtURtON SOuHty, [ AcUtHCky, 20 fnc
Editor of the Western World, dated
Springfield. Atrii 2e, 1909.
MIRA MUSCULAR ABDOMINAL MONSTERS.
Believing it the duty of professional men,
and particularly of the healing art, to lay
before the public such occurrences in their
practice, as from their singularity, NAV Ell
Their awaken useful enquiry, or promote SUBJ
stantially the happiness of man. by increas-
ing catalogue of facts, whence a knowledge
OF the animal economy is derived, l, who
am young and diffident practitioner in the
science OF medicine, beg leave to submit to
the public a fact of that description. 1t is
SO contrary to the common course of nature,
and to the prevailing and generally received
opinions of the learned in the science of
physiology, as to justify the Conjecture that
nature has yet many mysteries in reserve of
great Importance to the human family
When or in what manner she may be pleas
I'D to disclose them; whether she will sur
render them voluntarily and in connection,
or whether they are to be unfolded singly,
and by seeming accident. at distant and ir-
regular intervals, remains equally mystic
ry. Possibly the learned may avail them
selves OF the instance am about to relate.
either TO elicit or extott from her many valu-
able secrets-It is with that view and hope.
it is submitted to them. 1t will be faithful
1y and accurately related. and can be, in all
its material parts, substaEtiated by many
persns of unqsestionable veracity.
OI the 9TH of April, in the county of
Warrington, / was called to visit female
chill, the daughter Of John Milbourn, Jun.
LII, child was two years and nine months
old and was supposed to be affected with
tht ascites or dropsy of the belly. She di-
eeabeut three hours after my arrival.
terparents gave me n detailed account of
re w
b!no means satisfied, that it was re al
dDpsy, though there was great tumefaction
an tenseness of the abdomen and fluctuati-
OF evidently felt when priest by the hand
ht as the symptoms were, some of them
Inappropriate to that disease, and others SO
euivocal, could not but suspect, that her
disease had been either unknown or miscon-
cived prevailed OH her parents to per-
nit an instrumental examination. The o.
leration was performed in the usual wav,
" longitudinal incision. passing from be-
bw the sternum and reaching near the pu-
iis; and a transverse one passing through
he epigastric region sides. A cavity was
G,ened to about half the distance between
tie abdominal cavity and the exterior sur
fee, that discharged between three quarts
md gallon of yellow water, which smelled
/ Ike rotten eggs. Within the cavity was
5nnd a monster, or imperfect child, and al
ne monster weighed one pound and four
en- ounces; the substance weighed two
-ces, was rather of an oval figure, and was
lnected to the child, from which it was
en-, by cord that had some faint resem-
nee to the umblical. On one extremity
the substance, is small teat or protube-
hce about half an inch long, and between
me fourth and one-half of an inch in diane
ter, and Immediately by it is hair of dark
ssh or auburn color, about an inch and one
fourth long. The only analogy it bears to the
human is, that il is covered by the epider-
mis-
i ne monster occupied part of the epigas-
eric and the umbilical regions. 1t was not
connected to the inner surface of its cavity
by cord or any invisible medium. Whe-
Their cord or other medium of connection
had existed and been destroyed by putre-
faction. (Which from the smell of the fluid and
other appearances had commenced,) could
not positively be ascertaincd. That there
must have been some medium of connection
am confirmed, as we'll by the universal
course ofnature and analogy OH this subject,
as by an appearance at the articulation uf
the cervical and dorsal vertcbre, resembling,
family, the divided funis
The position of the monster in its envel-
ope, was AWKWARD its thighs drawn ND to
its abdomen and attached to it in places
the LETT, resting on the shoulder and reach
ing as far as the back part of the bead
the right, resting or pressing on the back of
the right hand. The bones of each thigh
have perforated the flesh at the knee, and
are about half an inch out. The left leg is
imperfect; lies back along the thigh, to
which it has grown. The right leg is also
imperfect, its foot is suspended over the
head. On one foot are three toes on the o.
Their, a small appearance of two. From the
knees to the shoulders, there is considerable
perfection of form. It's sex is indistinctly
marked--The indications are of til: femi-
nine The left arm should rather be called
stump than an arm it has no hand-at
the end OF the stump is nail. The right
arm is large and long, it has three fingers and
the thumb The head is very imperfect
1t rests upon the breast between the knees
1t has neither ears nor eyes, or appearance
OF any substitute for either---no mouth, nor
any thing that has near resemblance to it,
There is on the left side of the face, or ra-
Their that region of the head which the face
should occupy, a small prominency, which
contains three teeth, the canine and two in
clsores--they are about the size of the teeth
ola child of two years old. This prominent
cy or mouth, lift may be so called, has no a.
perture. On the back part of the head
was hair of dark or rather of an auburn
color, eight or nine inches long. The BODY of
the mon ster was seven inches long and ten
inches in circumference. The thighs
six, eight, in circumference. The arm Eve
inches long; the stump not uuite fnur IN