Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1884-05-07
PoNT UNION COUNTY. DA pTA. WEDNESDAY MAY = 1884
Some OF Natures FrealrA

The bureau of vital statistics 10 .
place of record of perhaps more extra
ordinary occurrences in the matter Of
life and death than even the memoirs
Of such distinguished parsonage a.
NJ Lecocq, the French detective. made
famous by noveiists. On the books OF
the bureau are registered all births and
deaths. Glancing over the pages OF
the records one finds here and there 3
mention of births that. were it not that
the parents of the child or children are
avcrse to publicity. their offspring
would furnish leading attractions TO
museums. In the list of extraordinary
births come twins. triplcts. quintlets.
doublc-headed and four-legged chill
dren.
Of these the first mentioned are ~
more common. Triplc,s, though raxs,
are not sum :icntIy so to call for moee
than passing nolice, while iodt chil.
asss sssdl 8 ElsF mn as..s ,'ns. d.
ring the year. The others mentioned
are rightly called monstrosiiies. and
are caused by accident or fright to the
mother. They are exceedingly rare.
Two cases OF children born will. double
heads arc 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 exhibi-
ton in travelling show for consider
alton.
Another birth is registered of child
born with Two bodies and but one head
and it died almost Immediately after
birth.
Instances have been recorded whore
children have been born with tho heads
or bottles If domestic animals, but only
one case is known where such mon
stros.ty lived. A few years ago Ger
man girl. domestic employed by a
Long Island farmer, gave birth 10 q
chi. Il whose head rcsen p:ci that of q
Newfoundland dog and whose body
was covered al birth with long black
hair. 1t is asserted that in the interest
of humanity the being was allowed to
die within tweniy-four hours Of its
birth.
In England marvellous case of .
woman giving birth to - chi d with all
tho attributes of a monkey. even to a
tail, is said to lie recorded, but careful
search by some OF our eminent physi-
clan> failed to discover any evidence Of
such a case.
A noted physician attached t. one of
the hospitais some time ago ass.sted at
the birth Of u child with webbed toes
and fingers. such us are necessary to
aquaiic fowl. but the c..ild died IN two
hours anil was placed on dissecting
table. waera il was found that its inte-
rior formation was the same rs that of
the water fowl. The circumstances
AMI evidences Of the TACT caused much
comment in medical circles at tac time
although the affair was not really made
puo,ic.
In conversation with physician of
high repute, y World reporter elected
the facts that near.y every tale of ex-
traorninarv births has y slight founda-
;ion on which is buiidcd flOric OF DC.
iou. He said: "A physician becomes
Grated ~ having assisted IA: the birth of
II strange formation, and Immediately
siarls tale Of unusual slranyeness
merely to piquc his fe.l4w prac.ition-
ers. Many Of the ta.c, of the monkey
faced children are fables, and most Of
tie eases might be taken Dy a modern
AZ E"'p to point moral but never to
aLorn Il tale. '-AcW Ior: World.