Extraordinary Conceptions.
Before I begin to trace any Particulars of extraordinary Conceptions, I shall insert a surprizing Account of a Woman that went Twenty five Years with Child, from the Writings of Monsieur Baile, which contains a great deal of Variety relating to untimely Generations.
Margaret Matthieu a Cloth-worker's Wife at Tholouse in France, in the Year 1653, and towards the Ninth Month of her Reckoning, had the Pains of Woman's Labour upon her at Church; and some part of the Waters being already voided, she acquainted the People about her, that she fear'd she should be Deliver'd in the Church. Immediately she was carried to a Neighbouring House, and her Pains abating upon the Relief she there met with, she was afterwards convey'd Home, where her Pains return'd with more Violence than before. Upon this, Doctor Cartier, and Doctor Mulatier two famous Physicians, and Mr. Cortade a very skilful Surgeon were sent for, and endeavour'd, tho' in vain, to give her Relief. She continued for two Months under the torture of these violent Pains, and voided Clots of Blood without Fibres or any carnous Matter. Afterwards she voided a white Humour, that was sometimes tinctur'd with Blood; and her Breasts were fill'd with an extraordinary quantity of Milk. About the Fifth Month the Flux of the Blood ceas'd, and she recover'd her Strength by Degrees, being still incommoded with a troublesome Load in Her Belly, and never easy but when she lay upon her Reins.
From the Year 1653 till the Year 1678, she suffer'd now and then as violent Pains as those of Child-birth. When they attack'd her most severely, she entreated the Surgeon to rip up her Belly, and so put an end to her Misery. She was troubled with frequent Swoonings, and unaccountable Longings for certain sorts of Aliment. Some of the Women about her affirm'd, that they saw the Child move several times; but the Surgeon and the Apothecary, who observ'd her very narrowly, and were frequently call'd, could never perceive any other Motion than that which attended the Mother's turning from one side to the other; for then the Lump fell to the side upon which she lay.
During this space of time, which was Twenty five Years and some Months, this Woman had several fits of Sickness, and at last died of a continual Fever, in January 1678, being in the Sixty second Year of her Age.
The next Day after she was Dead, Mr. Cortade, open'd her Corps, in the presence of Monsieurs Gaillart, Baile, Laborde and Grangeron all famous Physicians; and of Mr. Labat and Corboneau, two noted Anatomists. Having cut up the Muscles, and the Peritonæum, they found the Cawl schirous, and somewhat carnous, and about two Fingers breadth thick. 'Twas stretched over the Mass they sought for and adher'd to it. When they lifted it up, they turn'd over the whole Heap, towards the Breast of the Deceas'd Person, and then they had some Apprehension that the shapeless Mass was a Child: At first View they doubted it, because 'twas found out of the Womb, but their Doubts were quickly dispell'd, when they put a Knife into it and felt the Bones, and saw Nails and Toes upon one of the Feet, that they separated from the Mass.
Before they meddled further with the Mass, they had a mind to see what Condition the parts of the Abdomen were in, and particularly the Womb, upon which they found a Body, which being hard like a Stone, enclos'd a great Ulcer that spread its self over the Bottom of the Womb. Upon the Womb side it had a Cavity full of white and thick Pus, without any noisome Smell. On the Opposite Side 'twas hollow, and resembled the convex Side of an Oister. The rest of the Womb was in its Natural State, and they met with no considerable Accident in the Neighbouring parts.
They cut out the Mass, and carried it to the Surgeon's House, to be view'd at their leisure. The whole Mass was encompass'd with a callous Matter, under which they found all the Parts of a Child harden'd and half putrified; and these weigh'd Eight Pound. They cut up all the Viscera in the three Cavities, the particulars whereof may be read in Mr. Baile's Book of Anatomy. This is the Account given by Mr. Baile. I come now to extraordinary Conceptions.
Some Authors affirm, that a young Man having spilt some Seed in a Bath, a Girl afterwards Bathing in the same Water, the Seed was suck'd in by the Girls Womb, and she became with Child. But Monsieur Dionis is not of this Opinion: He will not allow the Womb an attractive Faculty, so as to suck up from the outer Extremity of the Neck, and oblige it to repair to its Cavity. And the Seed being a Liquor, would be so blended with the Water, that 'tis impossible all its particles should rally, and continue their Activity and prolifick Quality, till their Arrival in the Womb.