The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-06
Your Health
-BY DIR. MORRIS FIsHBEIN-

~ EcENTIY a number of scientists at the Uni
N versity of Minnesota contributed their views
as to the significance to medical science OF Inc
Dionne quintuplets. They were interesting primarily
because so many babies we're born at one time
The b4bies are interesting also because IL is tne
only Sc on record in the history of the world IN
which five children born simulta 1eously nave hVeo
beyond the first few hours Of life
OF course Dr. A. r. Dafoe has made. for his
more scientific confreres and for the specialists
few fundamental observations that are OF lmpor-
lance to medical science for the future His orig
nal account Of the births of the quintuplets pub
lished in the Journal of the American Medical Asso-
citation, received universal acclaim and has even
been mentioned for the Pulitzer prize
Moreover his modesty in response to the enthu-
siasm with which he was greeted in this country
set a record possibly second only to that OF Lind
bereh The successful birth and rearing OF the
uuintuplets under the primitive conditions existing
in that portion of Canada which DR.. Dafoe serves
is everywhere heralded as major medical achieve
ment.
CONTRIBUTING their views to the discussion
~ were some professors at the University of Min
nesota specializing in various aspects OF health ana
growth To the biologist, Dr. D. E. Mnnlcn, the
birth of quintupets is interesting hrst, because IL
raises the question Of the maximum number OF
babies that may be born to a human mother at
one time.
Twins occur once in every 80 90 births and
triplets and bankruptcies much rarely, but the
chance of five children at time is one In many
millions and the fact that they survived is as he
has said absolutely unique.
The maximum number Of infants born at one
time by authentic records is six There are, how
ever no records of six children having been born
at one time with survival of few Of them for
a long period.
The biologi ts also are interested because the
question is raj sed as t. the mechanism by which
multiple births 1t is realized that the in
fants develop from one egg cell or from several.
A S rule the human mother hberates but one
IA egg cell at one time. Occasionally however,
several egg cells may be released at the same time
and if each of these is fortified offspring viii
develop.
II infants are developed from one egg CELL they
are likely TO resemble each other very closely They
are then called identical twins triDets. H. how
ever, they develop from several egg cells. they may
be no more alike than ordinary brothers and sisters
In human beings the chance of two offspring
from one egg is relatively rare This Of course, Is
apparent to everyone from the small numbers OF
identical twins seen in any community
In the armadillo the female usually gives birth
to four offspring time, all from one egg This
is a rare thing in nature.
The evidence available concerning the Dionne
uuntuplets indicates that they may be identical,
as can be seen from study Of the remarkable pic
lures which NEA Service has made available The
scientists going to be more interested IN study
ing them further as they develop.