DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70300#0137
MARY TOFT.
Ill
a woman living at Godaiming, lately delivered of five rab-
bits, by Mr. John Howard, surgeon, at Guildford, in Sur-
rey, a man of known probity, character, and capacity, in his
profession, who has practised midwifery for above these
thirty years.
“ This account was again confirmed by two letters from the
said Mr. Howard, directed to Mr. Davenant, the first dated
November the 6th, four o’clock in the afternoon ; the sub-
stance of which is, that from the 4th instant to the 6th, he
had delivered the woman of three more rabbits ; that the
last of them had leaped within her for the space of
eighteen hours before it died, and that the moment it was
taken away, another was perceived to struggle for birth.
The second is dated November 9? and is here transcribed
verbatim
‘ Sir,—Since I wrote to you, I have taken or delivered
the poor woman of three more rabbits, all three half grown,
one of them a dun rabbit; the last leaped twenty-three
hours before it died. As soon as the eleventh rabbit was
taken away, up leaped the twelfth rabbit, which is now
leaping. If you have any curious person that is pleased to
come post, he may observe another leap within her, and shall
take it from her if he please; which will be a great satis-
faction to the curious. If she had been with child, she has
but ten days more to go; so I do not know how many rab-
bits may be behind ; I have brought the woman to Guild-
ford for better convenience.
‘ I am, Sir, your humble servant,
‘John Howard.
* If you send a person, let him bring a letter from you.’
“ These letters, with others to persons of distinction in
town, which all agreed with the above-mentioned, were suffi-
cient to make me desirous of being convinced personally of
a fact, of which there was no instance in nature. Accord-
ingly, on the 15th instant, I attended the Hon. Mr. Moly-
neux, secretary to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
1
Ill
a woman living at Godaiming, lately delivered of five rab-
bits, by Mr. John Howard, surgeon, at Guildford, in Sur-
rey, a man of known probity, character, and capacity, in his
profession, who has practised midwifery for above these
thirty years.
“ This account was again confirmed by two letters from the
said Mr. Howard, directed to Mr. Davenant, the first dated
November the 6th, four o’clock in the afternoon ; the sub-
stance of which is, that from the 4th instant to the 6th, he
had delivered the woman of three more rabbits ; that the
last of them had leaped within her for the space of
eighteen hours before it died, and that the moment it was
taken away, another was perceived to struggle for birth.
The second is dated November 9? and is here transcribed
verbatim
‘ Sir,—Since I wrote to you, I have taken or delivered
the poor woman of three more rabbits, all three half grown,
one of them a dun rabbit; the last leaped twenty-three
hours before it died. As soon as the eleventh rabbit was
taken away, up leaped the twelfth rabbit, which is now
leaping. If you have any curious person that is pleased to
come post, he may observe another leap within her, and shall
take it from her if he please; which will be a great satis-
faction to the curious. If she had been with child, she has
but ten days more to go; so I do not know how many rab-
bits may be behind ; I have brought the woman to Guild-
ford for better convenience.
‘ I am, Sir, your humble servant,
‘John Howard.
* If you send a person, let him bring a letter from you.’
“ These letters, with others to persons of distinction in
town, which all agreed with the above-mentioned, were suffi-
cient to make me desirous of being convinced personally of
a fact, of which there was no instance in nature. Accord-
ingly, on the 15th instant, I attended the Hon. Mr. Moly-
neux, secretary to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
1