Elements of medical jurisprudence / By Theodric Romeyn Beck.

  • Theodric Romeyn Beck
Date:
1825
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of medical jurisprudence / By Theodric Romeyn Beck. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    tubes could not embrace the ovum, and it would remain in the ova- rium, or fall into the abdomen, and thus constitute an extra uterine conception. But again, it is said, that even if we allow the practicability of the new embryo reaching the uterus, its arrival would be destructive to the foetus already present. The functions which have already been per- formed for the first conception, have now to be repeated, and an additional decidua and placenta are to be formed. a ae These are, briefly, the arguments urged against the possibility of superfeetation. An appeal, however, is made to cases, where, as we have already stated, two or more children, of different sizes, and ap- parently of different ages, are born, nearly at the same time, or at a longer interval. . It will be observed, that, in one class of instances, the lesser child is represented as dead and decayed, and its size is much smaller than the accompanying birth. Now, in these, it is suggested, that twins have been conceived, and that the embarrassed situation of one child in the uterus may have prevented its developement, checked its nutrition, and thus caused its death. The other, on the contrary, lives and grows, presses on the dead one, which becomes flattened, or wholly or partly putrefied ; and, in this condition, both may be expelled at the same time, or one may be detained for some time after the other.* The South-Carolina case, however, mentioned by Buffon, is much relied upon ; and, although it has been objected that the product should have been a white and a mulatto, and that hence the narrative 1s evi- dently false, yet the case of Dr. Moseley certainly meets the difficulty in a conclusive manner. But these cases are not, in my view, calcu- lated to aid the doctrine of superfoetation, They are examples of con- temporaneous conception, as is evidently shown by the circumstances attendant on each.+ a ake I do not pretend to explain the cases. related by Drs. Maton and Desgranges. The last, particularly, appears to be one of the strongest yet adduced in favour of the opinion; and its credibility would seem to be established, from the character of the reporter, and the publicity attending it. {. It was formerly a subject of discussion within what time, after a fruitful conception, a second one could occur. The most received opinion limited it to the two first months of pregnancy—as after that period the developement of the foetus and uterus would probably pre- vent it. Zacchias, however, declares in favour of extending this term to sixty days. § * Francis’ Denman, p. 555. | + In noticing the objections agains this doctrine, I have made a free use of Pro- fessor Chapman’s able essay on it in the Eclectic Repertory, vol. 1. p. 369. t Dr. Granville considers, that, in the case of Dr. Maton, there were twins, whose ova were distinct and separate; and that the one first expelled, had probably” not ar-. rived at its full growth, § Vol. 1, p. 102, (Lib. 1. Tit. 3, Quest. 4.) Foderé abandons this, after receiving the case of Desgranges—since the super-conception must have been at the sixth month, even allowing the second birth to have been only a seventh month’s child,
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