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Cesarean Section。Although the legendary history of Cesarean section is quite copious； it is very seldom that we find authentic records in the writings of the older medical observers。 The works of Hippocrates； Aretxeus； Galen； Celsus； and Aetius contain nothing relative to records of successful Cesarean sections。 However； Pliny says that Scipio Africanus was the first and Manlius the second of the Romans who owed their lives to the operation of Cesarean section； in his seventh book he says that Julius Caesar was born in this way； the fact giving origin to his name。 Others deny this and say that his name came from the thick head of hair which he possessed。 It is a frequent subject in old Roman sculpture； and there are many delineations of the birth of Bacchus by Cesarean section from the corpse of Semele。 Greek mythology tells us of the birth of Bacchus in the following manner： After Zeus burnt the house of Semele； daughter of Cadmus； he sent Hermes in great haste with directions to take from the burnt body of the mother the fruit of seven months。 This child； as we know； was Bacchus。 Aesculapius； according to the legend of the Romans； had been excised from the belly of his dead mother； Corinis； who was already on the funeral pile； by his benefactor； Apollo； and from this legend all products of Cesarean sections were regarded as sacred to Apollo； and were thought to have been endowed with sagacity and bravery。
Old records tell us that one of the kings of Navarre was delivered in this way； and we also have records of the birth of the celebrated Doge； Andreas Doria； by this method。 Jane Seymour was supposed to have been delivered of Edward VI by Cesarean section； the father； after the consultation of the physicians was announced to him； replying： 〃Save the child by all means； for I shall be able to get mothers enough。〃 Robert II of Scotland was supposed to have been delivered in this way after the death of his mother； Margery Bruce； who was killed by being thrown from a horse。 Shakespere's immortal citation of Macduff； 〃who was from his mother's womb untimely ripped；〃 must have been such a case； possibly crudely done； perchance by cattle…horn。 Pope Gregory XIV was said to have been taken from his mother's belly after her death。 The Philosophical Transactions； in the last century contain accounts of Cesarean section performed by an ignorant butcher and also by a midwife； and there are many records of the celebrated case performed by Jacob Nufer； a cattle gelder； at the beginning of the sixteenth century。
By the advent of antisepsis and the improvements of Porro and others； Cesarean section has come to be a quite frequent event； and a record of the successful cases would hardly be considered a matter of extraordinary interest； and would be out of the province of this work； but a citation of anomalous cases will be given。 Baldwin reports a case of Cesarean section on a typical rachitic dwarf of twenty…four； who weighed 100 pounds and was only 47 1/2 inches tall。 It was the ninth American case； according to the calculation of Harris； only the third successful one； and the first successful one in Ohio。 The woman had a uniformly contracted pelvis whose anteroposterior diameter was about 1 1/4 inches。 The hygienic surroundings for the operation were not of the best； as the woman lived in a cellar。 Tait's method of performing the operation was determined upon and successfully performed。 Convalescence was prompt； and in three weeks the case was dismissed。 The child was a female of 7 1/2 pounds which inherited the deformities of its mother。 It thrived for nine and a half months； when it died of angina Ludovici。 Figure 15 represents the mother and child。
Harris gives an account of an operation upon a rachitic dwarf who was impregnated by a large man； a baby weighing 14 pounds and measuring 20 inches being delivered by the knife。 St。 Braun gives the account of a Porro…Cesarean operation in the case of a rachitic dwarf 3 feet 10 inches tall； in which both the mother and child recovered。 Munde speaks of twins being delivered by Cesarean section。 Franklin gives the instance of a woman delivered at full term of a living child by this means； in whom was also found a dead fetus。 It lay behind the stump of the amputated cervix； in the culdesac of Douglas。 The patient died of hemorrhage。
Croston reports a case of Cesarean section on a primipara of twenty…four at full term； with the delivery of a double female monster weighing 12 1/2 pounds。 This monster consisted of two females of about the same size； united from the sternal notch to the navel； having one cord and one placenta。 It was stillborn。 The diagnosis was made before operation by vaginal examination。 In a communication to Croston； Harris remarked that this was the first successful Cesarean section for double monstrous conception in America； and added that in 1881 Collins and Leidy performed the same operation without success。
Instances of repeated Cesarean section were quite numerous； and the pride of the operators noteworthy； before the uterus was removed at the first operation； as is now generally done。 Bacque reports two sections in the same woman； and Bertrandi speaks of a case in which the operation was successfully executed many times in the same woman。 Rosenberg reports three cases repeated successfully by Leopold of Dresden。 Skutsch reports a case in which it was twice performed on a woman with a rachitic pelvis； and who the second time was pregnant with twins； the children and mother recovered。 Zweifel cites an instance in which two Cesarean sections were performed on a patient； both of the children delivered being in vigorous health。 Stolz relates a similar case。 Beck gives an account of a Cesarean operation twice on the same woman； in the first the child perished； but in the second it survived。 Merinar cites an instance of a woman thrice opened。 Parravini gives a similar instance。 Charlton gives an account of the performance carried out successfully four times in the same woman； Chisholm mentions a case in which it was twice performed。 Michaelis of Kiel gives an instance in which he performed the same operation on a woman four times； with successful issues to both mother and children； despite the presence of peritonitis the last time。 He had operated in 1826； 1830； 1832； and 1836。 Coe and Gueniot both mention cases in which Cesarean section had been twice performed with successful terminations as regards both mothers and children。 Rosenberg tabulates a number of similar cases from medical literature。
Cases of Cesarean section by the patient herself are most curious； but may be readily believed if there is any truth in the reports of the operation being done in savage tribes。 Felkin gives an account of a successful case performed in his presence； with preservation of the lives of both mother and child； by a native African in Kahura； Uganda Country。 The young girl was operated on in the crudest manner； the hemorrhage being checked by a hot iron。 The sutures were made by means of seven thin； hot iron spikes； resembling acupressure…needles； closing the peritoneum and skin。 The wound healed in eleven days； and the mother made a complete recovery。 Thomas Cowley describes t