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A woman in Schlossberg； Germany； gave birth to twins； after a year； to triplets； and again； in another year； to 3 fairly strong boys。 In the State Papers； Domestic Series； Charles I； according to Walford； appears an extract from a letter from George Garrard to Viscount Conway； which is as follows： 〃Sir John Melton； who entertained you at York； hath buried his wife； Curran's daughter。 Within twelve months she brought him 4 sons and a daughter； 2 sons last summer； and at this birth 2 more and a daughter； all alive。〃 Swan mentions a woman who gave birth to 6 children in seventeen months in 2 triple pregnancies。 The first terminated prematurely； 2 children dying at once； the other in five weeks。 The second was uneventful； the 3 children living at the time of the report。 Rockwell gives the report of a case of a woman of twenty…eight； herself a twin； who gave birth to twins in January； 1879。 They died after a few weeks； and in March； 1880； she again bore twins； one living three and the other nine weeks。 On March 12； 1881； she gave birth to triplets。 The first child； a male； weighed 7 pounds； the second； a female； 6 1/4 pounds； the third； a male； 5 1/2 pounds。 The third child lived twenty days； the other two died of cholera infantum at the sixth month； attributable to the bottle…feeding。 Banerjee gives the history of a case of a woman of thirty being delivered of her fourth pair of twins。 Her mother was dead； but she had 3 sisters living； of one of which she was a twin； and the other 2 were twins。 One of her sisters had 2 twin terms； 1 child surviving； like her own children； all were females。 A second sister had a twin term； both males； 1 surviving。 The other sister aborted female twins after a fall in the eighth month of pregnancy。 The name of the patient was Mussamat Somni； and she was the wife of a respectable Indian carpenter。
There are recorded the most wonderful accounts of prolificity； in which； by repeated multiple births； a woman is said to have borne children almost beyond belief。 A Naples correspondent to a Paris Journal gives the following： 〃About 2 or 3 stations beyond Pompeii； in the City of Nocera； lives Maddalena Granata； aged forty…seven； who was married at twenty…eight； and has given birth to 52 living and dead children； 49 being males。 Dr。 de Sanctis； of Nocera； states that she has had triplets 15 times。〃
Peasant Kirilow was presented to the Empress of Russia in 1853； at the age of seventy years。 He had been twice married； and his first wife had presented him with 57 children； the fruits of 21 pregnancies。 She had quadruplets four times； triplets seven times； and twins thrice。 By his second wife he had 15 children； twins six times； and triplets once。 This man； accordingly； was the father of 72 children； and； to magnify the wonder； all the children were alive at the time of presentation。 Herman； in some Russian statistics； relates the instance of Fedor Vassilet； a peasant of the Moscow Jurisdiction； who in 1872； at the age of seventy…five years； was the father of 87 children。 He had been twice married； his first wife bore him 69 children in 27 accouchements； having twins sixteen times； triplets seven times； and quadruplets four times； but never a single birth。 His second wife bore him 18 children in 8 accouchements。 In 1872； 83 of the 87 children were living。 The author says this case is beyond all question； as the Imperial Academy of St。 Petersburg； as well as the French Academy； have substantial proof of it。 The family are still living in Russia； and are the object of governmental favors。 The following fact is interesting from the point of exaggeration； if for nothing else： 〃The New York Medical Journal is accredited with publishing the following extract from the history of a journey to Saragossa； Barcelona； and Valencia； in the year 1585； by Philip II of Spain。 The book was written by Henrique Cock； who accompanied Philip as his private secretary。 On page 248 the following statements are to be found： At the age of eleven years； Margarita Goncalez； whose father was a Biscayian； and whose mother was French； was married to her first husband； who was forty years old。 By him she had 78 boys and 7 girls。 He died thirteen years after the marriage； and； after having remained a widow two years； the woman married again。 By her second husband； Thomas Gchoa； she had 66 boys and 7 girls。 These children were all born in Valencia； between the fifteenth and thirty…fifth year of the mother's age； and at the time when the account was written she was thirty…five years old and pregnant again。 Of the children； 47 by the first husband and 52 by the second were baptized； the other births were still or premature。 There were 33 confinements in all。
Extreme Prolificity by Single Births。The number of children a woman may bring forth is therefore not to be accurately stated； there seems to be almost no limit to it； and even when we exclude those cases in which remarkable multiplicity at each birth augments the number； there are still some almost incredible cases on record。 The statistics of the St。 Pancras Royal Dispensary； 1853； estimated the number of children one woman may bear as from 25 to 69。 Eisenmenger relates the history of a case of a woman in the last century bearing 51 children； and there is another case in which a woman bore 44 children； all boys。 Atkinson speaks of a lady married at sixteen； dying when she was sixty…four； who had borne 39 children； all at single births； by one husband； whom she survived。 The children； 32 daughters and 7 sons； all attained their majority。 There was a case of a woman in America who in twenty…six years gave birth to 22 children； all at single births。 Thoresby in his 〃History of Leeds；〃 1715； mentions three remarkable casesone the wife of Dr。 Phineas Hudson； Chancellor of York； as having died in her thirty…ninth year of her twenty…fourth child； another of Mrs。 Joseph Cooper； as dying of her twenty…sixth child； and； lastly； of Mrs。 William Greenhill； of a village in Hertford； England； who gave birth to 39 children during her life。 Brand； a writer of great repute； in his 〃History of Newcastle；〃 quoted by Walford； mentions as a well attested fact the wife of a Scotch weaver who bore 62 children by one husband； all of whom lived to be baptized。
A curious epitaph is to be seen at Conway； Carnarvonshire
〃Here lieth the body of Nicholas Hookes； of Conway； gentleman； who was one…and…fortieth child of his father； William Hookes； Esq。； by Alice； his wife； and the father of 27 children。 He died 20th of March； 1637。〃
On November 21； 1768； Mrs。 Shury； the wife of a cooper； in Vine Street； Westminster； was delivered of 2 boys； making 26 by the same husband。 She had previously been confined with twins during the year。
It would be the task of a mathematician to figure the possibilities of paternity in a man of extra long life who had married several prolific women during his prolonged period of virility。 A man by the name of Pearsons of Lexton； Nottingham； at the time of the report had been married 4 times。 By his first 3 wives he had 39 children and by his last 14； making a total of 53。 He was 6 feet tall and lived to his ninety…sixth year。 We have already mentioned the two Russian cases in wh