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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, D. C., U.S.A.

Extract

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Though conception and reproduction have been favorite topics of the biologists of all ages many of the simplest facts of generation are still lacking their proper explanation. They remained mysteries and stimulated wild speculations not only among the uneducated people but also among the physicians, naturalists and others engaged in the scrutiny of Nature.

Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , March 1952 , pp. 118 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1952

References

1 In Wagner’s, Arch. Anat., 1878; quoted by Hellin, D., Die Ursachen der Multiparität der uniparen Tiere. Münch., 1895Google Scholar.

2 Sappey, Traité d’anatomie, Par., 1876, p. 711.

3 See Hellin’s work in footnote 1.

4 Aristoteles, The History of Animals; transl, by R. Crosswell. Lond., 1883, p. 186. – It should be remembered, however, that the 10th Book of the History of Animals is now considered an apocryphal writing of a certain ‘Pseudo-Aristoteles’.

5 Ménard, R., La famille dans l’antiquité; quoted by Witkowski, , Les accouchements dans les beaux-arts, etc. Par., 1894, p. 108Google Scholar; reproduction also. – Witkowski remarks that the antiquity is silent about such stories which the archeologist supposes.

6 L. Bonaciolo (d. 1540): De foetus formatione. Leiden, 1640.

7 Mackenzie, R. H., Statistics of multiple births. Lancet, Lond., 1840–41, 1: 549–51Google Scholar. – It discusses the results of study of the Prussian statistics for 1826–1837 with 6,067,200 births. The maximum was quadruplets, 15 for the years, or 2 per a million births.

8 Berg, F. T., Om flerfostriga barnsbörder. Hygiea, Stockh., 1880, 42: 331–42Google Scholar. Mentions quadruplets only; includes figures for Sweden for 1776–1878.

9 Flerbörder aren 1781–1940. Statist, arsb. Sverige, 1947, 34: 62.

10 Appia, L., Des accouchements multiples. J. méd., Brux., 1861, 32: 357; 451Google Scholar. “Bornonsnous à constater que jusqu’ici la viabilité d’enfants multiples n’a pas dépassé le chiffre cinq…”.

11 Lebel, C., De la grossesse multiple. Par., 1869, pp. 8–9Google Scholar, where he writes that the modern observers consider quintuplet pregnancy as “… représenter la limite des accouchements multiples…”.

12 Schroeder, Lehrb. d. Geburtshülfe, Bonn, 1872, p. 55.

13 Corradi, A., Bell’ostetricia in Italia. Bologna, 1874, p. 160Google Scholar, where he writes: “… io ho potuto raccogliere parecchi esempi di parti di 3, di 4, e di 5 figliuoli; ma niuno di 6…”.

14 Puech, A., Des accouchements multiples en France. Ann. hyg., Par., 1874, 2. ser., 41: 197–239Google Scholar.

15 Weinberg, W., Beiträge zur Physiologie und Pathologie der Mehrlingsgeburten beim Menschen, Arch. ges. Physiol., Bonn, 1901, 88: 346–430CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

16 Guzzoni Degli Ancarani A., A proposito di una gravidanza seigemina. Rass. sc. med., 1889, 4: 437; 569; 617, 1 pl. – On p. 449 he writes that the birth-statistics which he collected from many European sources and clinics did not reveal a single case of sextuplets though more than 70,000.000 deliveries were included in the statistics. – In a later article (Contributo alla statistica del parto multiple. Atti Soc. ital. ostet. (1899) 1900, 6: 249–253) he expanded the birth figure to 83 millions, but still refused to admit Vassalli’s case as an authentic sextuplet birth. The frequency of quintuplets was given at 1 in 41, 684, 006 deliveries.

17 The Works. Lond. 1649, pp. 654–655; or the 1678, London edition, pp. 591–592.

18 I used the 1557 Basel edition.

19 The 1609 Frankfurt edition, pages 641 to 645 mainly.

20 Aldrovandi, U., (1522–1605), Monstrorum historia. Bologna, 1642Google Scholar.

21 Schurig M., (physician in Dresden) Syllepsologia historico-medica; hoc est, Conceptionis muliebris consideratio physico-medico-forensis… deinde Didymotokia, seu Gemellatio. Dresden, 1731.

22 In his: De naturali in humano corpore vitiosa morbosaque generatione historia. Torino, 1741, pp. 247–249.

23 I have consulted the following of his works: a) Histoire des accouchements chez tous les peuples (Par., 1887); b) Anecdotes et curiosités historiques sur les accouchements (Par., 1892); c) Curiosités historiques sur les accouchements (Par., 1892); d) Les accouchements dans les beauxarts, etc. (Par., 1894).

24 Cf. footnote 16.

25 In: Med. Press & Circ, Lond., 1890, n. ser., 50: 304–8.

26 La grossesse sextuplet. Gaz. méd. Paris, 1904, 12. ser., 4: 157; 205; passim. Also German transl. Frauenarzt, 1905, 20: 151; passim.

27 Accouchements multiples, véridiques, légendaires et facétieux. Aesculape, Par., 1929, 19: 282–98.

28 In the: Iji sinbun, Tokyo, 1901, p. 859; 1897–1901.

29 Plural births with a new pedigree. Biometrika, 1933, 20: 110–120.

30 Contributo allo studio della gravidanza multipla. Rass. ostet., 1933, 42: 179–213.

31 Septuplets with different birthdays. J. Hered., 1934, 25: 193–7.

32 In the: Ned. tschr., 1935, 79: 4648–54.

33 Mehrlingsgeburten in Sage und Geschichte. Zschr. ärztl. Fortbild., 1936, 33: 233; 263.

34 Report of octuplets and sextuplets in the United States. J. Hered., 1948, 39: 204–5.

35 Problemi e considerazioni sulla gravidanza multipla. Medicus, Vatican City, 3: 41–61.

36 Gedda, L., Studio dei gemelli. Roma, 1951, pp. 160–161Google Scholar. Prof. Gedda has also supplied me with the photographs of the newspaper reports on the two cases of plural births, and with a French translation of the Italian text.

37 See footnote 26.

38 Lotze, R., Zwillinge. Oehringen, 1937, p. 76Google Scholar.

39 See footnote 34.

40 ABU’L-QASIM, La chirurgie; transl, by L. Leclere. Par., 1861, p. 179, in Chap. 75 of Book 2; “Du nombre des foetus qui peuvent se former dans la matrice et en être expulsés par avortement. Il peut se former dans la matrice un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept et même plus de dix foetus. Je tiens pour certain qu’une femme a avorté de sept et une autre de quinze, tous formés. Cela est l’œuvre de Dieu…”. – The translation of Ledere was made according to the Arabic text of a MS. in the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris.

41 Kohut, Geschichte der deutschen Juden.

42 In Aesculape, Par., 1929, 19: p. 286.

43 The leaf is beaded: “Wunderbarlicbe zeytung von einem Weibszbild so in jrer Ehe mit jrem Hauszwirtb erzeugt und geborn hat drey und fünffzig Kinder”. It was printed in Nürnberg, 1569, by Gõrg Lang, woodcutter. The picture’s background is a hilly country and a valley with the village of Benningheim. In the foreground there is a buge crucifix encircled by a V-sbaped row of kneeling figures, the father with the sons on the left, the mother and the daughters on the right. Below the woodcut there is the legend in 8 short columns, each of 11 lines. – The picture is reproduced on p. 235 of Scblieben’s article. Cf. footnote 45.

44 Schmelin, Württembergische kleine Chronik. 1660.

45 Schlieben, , Mehrlingsgeburten. Zschr. ärztl. Fortbild., 1936, 33: p. 236Google Scholar.

46 Bianchi, G., De naturali in humano corpore, etc. Torino, 1741, p. 247Google Scholar: “… testimoniis certissimis publicisque monumentis firmata”. – He refers to Helwig, Welsch, Eisenmenger, Schroeck, and others who have also accepted the authenticity of the case. He puts the number of stillbirths at 8 only, and states that all the other children were baptized.

47 Savonarola, Tract. 6. Cap. 21, Rubr. 25; quoted by Schenck.

48 Schenck, J., Observationum, & c. Frankf., 1609, p. 644Google Scholar.

49 Paré A., The works. Lond., 1678, p. 591. This is part of Chapt. 3, Book 25.

50 Ramsbotham, F. M. Jr., The principles and practice of obstetric medicine and surgery. 2. ed. Lond., 1844, p. 497Google Scholar, in his footnote.

51 This account as well as the following one was also published in Tokusima sinpó (Tokusima News), No. 2,090, 18 June, 1896, from where Sisido took them for his own article which I have seen in Iji sinbun, Tokyo, 1901, p. 860.

52 Kawati, Z., Nippon huzin ika siryo (Historical material on female medicine in Japan) Tyugai izi sinpó, No. 517; quoted in Sisido’s article; cfGoogle Scholar. footnote 51.

53 Ramsbotham, F. M., The principles and practice of obstetric medicine and surgery. 2. ed., Lond., 1844, p. 497Google Scholar, and its footnote. – Also included in Foy’s article; see footnote 25.

54 Wickersheimer E., Une observation inédite de grossesse sextuple. Bull. Soc. obst. Paris, 1909, 12: 320–21.

55 La Torre, In Clin, ostet., 1910, 12: 151–3.

56 Med. chir. Zeitung, 1806, v. 1: p. 127.

57 Osiander F. B., Handbuch der Entbindungskunst. 1. Aufl., p. 319 of v. 1. – See footnote 59 below.

58 Kilian H., Die Geburtslehre, Frankf. a. M., 1847, p. 165.

59 Osiander J. F. (ed.) Osiander’s Handb. d. Entbindungskunst. 2. Aufl., Tübingen, 1829, v. 1: p. 298–299 (footnote): “Der in der ersten Ausgabe dieses Handbuchs S. 319 erwähnte Fall von Sechslingen aus Ohlau in Schlesien, verhält sich, wie ich höre, ganz anders, als ihn örientliche Blätter aussprengten. Um zu betrügen, sammelte jenes Weib ihre abortiven Fötus, und gab dann vor, sechs derselben auf einmal geboren zu haben”.

60 Schroeder., Lehrb. d. Geburtshülfe. Bonn, 1872, p. 55. – After discussing the deception the author states definitely that there are no cases of sextuplets.

61 Vortisch H., Afrikanische Sechslinge. Münch, med. Wschr., 1903, 50: 1639–40. – He refers to the Ohlau ‘sextuplets’ with the words: “Die Geschichte der Sechslinge jener Frau in Sachsen (sic!) die im Laufe der Zeit ihre Föten in Spiritusgläsern sammelte und sie als das Ergebnis einer Geburt ausgab, verleitet von der Auri sacra fames, dürfte den Herren Kollegen bekannt sein. Soviel ich weiss, ist kein weiterer Fall einer 6fachen Geburt in der Literatur beschrieben…”. His last statement is inaccurate.

62 Baudouin, in Gaz. méd. Paris, 1904, 12. ser., 4: 157; 205.

63 Osiander J. F., cf. my footnote 59. At the place quoted, p. 287 (footnote).

64 Warren, Med. Press, 1862, June 25. (quoted after Foy) I was unable to find the article.

65 Foy, see footnote 25.

66 In Boston M. & S. J., 1847, 35: 27. – This is but a 3–4 line news note, without any additional authority. Someone some future time may take the trouble to check on the official birth records of this Maine town to verify the facts.

67 See my footnote 26. – Baudouin writes: “… un fait américain, que tout le monde ignorait d’ailleurs et qui date pourtant de 1847. Ce qui prouve une fois de plus, que la bibliographie n’intéressait pas plus alors la majorité des professeurs d’accouchements…”.

68 See footnote 34.

69 The original description by Vassalli was published under the title: Caso di gravidanza sesquigemellare, in the Gazz. med. ital. lombard., 1888, 48: 216–18. The author called it ‘unico caso finora indiscutibile di gravidanza multipla sesquigemellare’. – A short note appeared on the birth in Lancet, 1888, 2: 787.

70 See footnote 26.

71 See his article in footnote 16. – Also the short note of minutes of the 18 May meeting of the Società medico-chirurgica di Pavia in the Gazz. osped. Milano, 1889, Oct. 13, p. 652.

72 Vassalli F., A rivendicazione del primo caso di gravidanza seigemellare. Atti Congr. med. internat. (1894) 1895, 11. Congr., 5: p. 243; discussion p. 244. – The case was further discussed in foreign magazines: a) Boll. med. Svizzera ital., 1894, No. 3 & 4.; b) Fortsch. Med., 1894, Oct. 4; c) Boston M. & S. J., 1895, 132: 243; in the ‘Miscellany’.

73 Guzzoni Degli Ancarani, A proposito del parto seigemellare descritto dal Dott. Vassalli. Atti Soc. ital. ostet. (1894) 1895, 1: 301.

74 Cristalli G., L’accouchement multiple à Naples de 1914 à 1921. Rev. fr. gyn., 1924, 15: 161–83.

75 La Torre F., Gravidanza seigemellare. Clin, ostet., Roma, 1910, 12: 145–53.

76 The article of this Japanese newspaper was reprinted in the paper of Y. Hasiba, Issan tasi ni tuki (On multiple births) Tokyo zinruigakki zassi, v. 8, No. 84, pp. 233–36.

77 See footnote 51.

78 In Medical News, N. Y., 1899, v. 75: 804.

79 Kerr J. W. & Cookman H., A remarkable case of multiple pregnancy. Med. Press & Circ, Lond., 1903, n. ser., 75: 537–38, photo.

80 H. Vortisch, Afrikanische Sechslinge. Münch, med. Wschr., 1903, 50: 1639–40, Sept. 22., photo. – According to the author, the photography is the one made by the Negro artist.

81 Schlieben, who refers to this case on p. 266 of his article (see footnote 33), commits the mistake that he puts the date of the West-African sextuplet birth at 5 August, which is the date of the report of Vortisch. There is also some confusion as to the previous pregnancies of the mother. – Knibbs G., writes on multiple births (J. Proc. R. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1925, 56: 128–45) and quotes the article of Vortisch, of Alburi, as one written by two authors, one of them being a certain Alburi.

82 Lint, Ned. tschr. geneesk., 1935, 79: 4648–54.

83 Un parto ‘sestuplo’ nell’Africa Centrale. “Il Tempo”, 2 March, 1950. – I learned of this case in Prof. Gedda’s Studio dei Gemelli, (p. 160) (Roma, 1951), who was kind to send me a photograph of the Italian newspaper notice.

84 Further confirmation is found in the Textbook of Veterinary Obstetrics of George Fleming (London, 1878; p. 139 etc.).

85 De Bruin, In Ned. tschr. geneesk, 1902, v. 1: 712.

86 C. H. Heidenreich, Sechslinge von einer Kuh. Berl, tierärztl. Wschr., 1929, 45: 22, photo. – The work of Schmaltz is, Das Geschlechtsleben unserer Haussäugetiere.

87 H. Busman, Multiple pregnancy in a cow. J. Am. Vet. M. Ass., 1929, 75: 105.

88 Wilson & Gregory, Sextuplet lambs. J. Hered., 1931, 22: 229–30, photo.