Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-04-10
Some of Natures Freaks.

The bureau of vital statistics is
place of record of perhaps more extra
ordinary occurrences in the matter of
life and death than even the memoirs
of such distinguished parsonage as
NJ Lecocq, the French detective, made
famous by novelists. On the books of
the bureau are registered all births and
deaths. CHANGING over the pages of
the records one finds here and there
mention of births that. were it not that
the parents of the child or children are
averse to publicity. their offspring
would furnish leading attractions to
museums. In the list of extraordinary
births come twins, triplets, quintlets,
double-headed and four-legged chill
dren
OI these the first mentioned are the
more common. Triplets, though rare.
are not sufficiently so to cali for more
than passing notice, while four chill
dren or more at birth are mentioned
rs occurring but half a dozen times du
ring the year. The others mentioned
are rightly called monStrosities, and
are caused by accident or fright to the
mother. They are exceedingly rare.
Two cases of childres born with double
heads are recorded, and but one of
them survived. The other is now on
exhibition at dime museum in this
city.
One birth is registered of child with
four legs, and the parents of that child
have allowed it to be placed on exhibit
ton in travelling show for a consider
alton.
Another birth is registered of a child
born with two bodies and but one head
and it died almost immediately after
birth.
Instances have been recorded where
children have been born with the heads
or bodies of domestic animals, but only
one case is known where such mon
strosity lived. a few years ago Ger
man girl, domestic employed by
Long Island farmer, gave birth to
child whose head resembled that of
Newfoundland dog and whose body
was covered ut birth with long black
hair. 1t is asserted that in the interest
of humanity the being was allowed to
die within twenty-four hours of its
birth.
In England marvellous case of 2
-
the attributes of q monkey, even to
tail, is said to be recorded, but careful
search by some of our eminent physi-
clans failed to discover any evidence of
such a case.
A noted physician attached to one of
the hospitals some time ago assisted at
the birth of q child with webbed toes
and fingers, such as are necessary to
aquatic fowl, but the child died in two
hours and was placed on dissecting
table, where it was found that its inte-
rior formation was the same as that of
the water fowl. The circumstances
and evidences of the fact caused much
comment in medical circles at the time
although the affair was not really made
public.
In conversation with physician of
high repute, a World reporter elected
the facts that nearly every tale of ex-
traordinary births has Slight founda-
ton on which is builded fabric of fic-
ton. He said: "a physician becomes
elated at having assisted at the birth of
a strange formation, and Immediately
starts q tale of unusual strangeness
merely to pique his fellow practition-
ers. Many of the tales of the monkey
faced children are fables, and most of
the cases might be taken by q modern
Hsop to point moral but never to
adorn q tale "--NeaO York World