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terized。 Brown relates a similar instance with successful delivery。 Bixby； Harding； Walker （1878…9）； and Mears all report cases； and others are not at all rare。 In the cases following shortly after operation； it has been suggested that they may be explained by the long retention of the ova in the uterus； deposited them prior to operation。 In the presence of such facts one can but wonder if artificial fecundation of an ovum derived from another woman may ever be brought about in the uterus of a sterile woman！
Conception Soon After a Preceding Pregnancy。Conception sometimes follows birth （or abortion） with astonishing rapidity； and some women seem for a period of their lives either always pregnant or with infants at their breasts。 This prolificity is often alluded to； and is not confined to the lower classes； as often stated； but is common even among the nobility。 Illustrative of this； we have examples in some of the reigning families in Europe to…day。 A peculiar instance is given by Sparkman in which a woman conceived just forty hours after abortion。 Rice mentions the case of a woman who was confined with her first child； a boy； on July 31； 1870； and was again delivered of another child on June 4； 1871。 She had become pregnant twenty…eight days after delivery。 He also mentions another case of a Mrs。 C。； who； at the age of twenty…three； gave birth to a child on September 13； 1880； and bore a second child on July 2； 1881。 She must have become pregnant twenty…one days after the delivery of her first child。
Superfetation has been known for many centuries； the Romans had laws prescribing the laws of succession in such cases； and many medical writers have mentioned it。 Hippocrates and Aristotle wrote of it； the former at some length。 Pliny speaks of a slave who bore two infants； one resembling the master； the other a man with whom she had intercourse； and cites the case as one of superfetation。 Schenck relates instances； and Zacchias； Velchius； and Sinibaldus mention eases。 Pare seemed to be well conversant with the possibility as well as the actuality of superfetation； and Harvey reports that a certain maid； gotten with child by her master； in order to hide her knavery came to London in September； where she lay in by stealth； and being recovered； returned home。 In December of the same year she was unexpectedly delivered of another child； a product of superfetation； which proclaimed the crime that she had so cunningly concealed before。
Marcellus Donatus； Goret； Schacher； and Mauriceau mention superfetation。 In the Academie des Sciences； at Paris； in 1702； there was mentioned the case of a woman who was delivered of a boy； in the placenta was discovered a sort of bladder which was found to contain a female fetus of the age of from four to five months； and in 1729； before the same society； there was an instance in which two fetuses were born a day apart； one aged forty days and the other at full term。 From the description； it does not seem possible that either of these were blighted twin pregnancies。 Ruysch gives an account of a surgeon's wife at Amsterdam； in 1686； who was delivered of a strong child which survived； and； six hours after； of a small embryo； the funis of which was full of hydatids and the placenta as large and thick as one of three months。 Ruysch accompanies his description with an illustrative figure。 At Lyons； in 1782； Benoite Franquet was unexpectedly delivered of a child seven months old； three weeks later she experienced symptoms indicative of the existence of another fetus； and after five months and sixteen days she was delivered of a remarkably strong and healthy child。
Baudeloque speaks of a case of superfetation observed by Desgranges in Lyons in 1780。 After the birth of the first infant the lochia failed to flow； no milk appeared in the breasts； and the belly remained large。 In about three weeks after the accouchement she had connection with her husband； and in a few days felt fetal movements。 A second child was born at term； sixty…eight days after the first； and in 1782 both children were living。 A woman of Arles was delivered on November 11； 1796； of a child at term； she had connection with her husband four days after； the lochia stopped； and the milk did not flow after this intercourse。 About one and a half months after this she felt quickening again； and naturally supposed that she had become impregnated by the first intercourse after confinement； but five months after the first accouchement she was delivered of another child at term； the result of a superfetation。 Milk in abundance made its appearance； and she was amply able to nourish both children from the breasts。 Lachausse speaks of a woman of thirty who bore one child on April 30； 1748； and another on September 16th in the same year。 Her breasts were full enough to nourish both of the children。 It might be remarked in comment on this case that； according to a French authority； the woman died in 1755； and on dissection was found to have had a double uterus。
A peculiar instance of superfetation was reported by Langmore in which there was an abortion of a fetus between the third and fourth months； apparently dead some time； and thirteen hours later a second fetus； an ovum of about four weeks and of perfect formation was found adherent near the fundus。 Tyler Smith mentions a lady pregnant for the first time who miscarried at five months and some time afterward discharged a small clot containing a perfectly fresh and healthy ovum of about four weeks' formation。 There was no sign of a double uterus； and the patient menstruated regularly during pregnancy； being unwell three weeks before the abortion。 Harley and Tanner speak of a woman of thirty…eight who never had borne twins； and who aborted a fetus of four months' gestation； serious hemorrhage accompanied the removal of the placenta； and on placing the hand in the uterine cavity an embryo of five or six weeks was found inclosed in a sac and floating in clear liquor amnii。 The patient was the mother of nine children； the youngest of which was three years old。
Young speaks of a woman who three months previously had aborted a three months' fetus； but a tumor still remained in the abdomen； the auscultation of which gave evidence of a fetal heart…beat。 Vaginal examination revealed a dilatation of the os uteri of at least one inch and a fetal head pressing out； subsequently a living fetus of about six months of age was delivered。 Severe hemorrhage complicated the case； but was controlled； and convalescence speedily ensued。 Huse cites an instance of a mother bearing a boy on November 4； 1834； and a girl on August 3； 1835。 At birth the boy looked premature； about seven months old； which being the case； the girl must have been either a superfetation or a seven months' child also。 Van Bibber of Baltimore says he met a young lady who was born five months after her sister； and who was still living。
The most curious and convincing examples of superfetation are those in which children of different colors； either twins or near the same age； are born to the same woman；similar to that exemplified in the case of the mare who was covered first by a stallion and a quarter of an hour later by an ass； and gave