[475]. Phil. Trans. vol. 89, A. D. 1799.
[476]. Anatomy of the human body, p. 314, and the plate. A similar case is to be found in the Sloane M.S. in the British Museum, no. 4432, 5. “Hoc non satis animadvertantes mulierculæ nativitate ejus adstantes, in dijudicatione sexus erravere, et Infans Elizabethæ nomine baptizabatur.”
[477]. This observation applies to the irregular structure of quadrupeds as well as to that of man; Haller dissected a ram, in which the parts had been supposed to be those of an hermaphrodite, whereas he found the animal with the imperfections above related.
[478]. This appears to have been the fact in the case related by Mr. Pring. See London Medical Repository, vol. 18.
[479]. M. Ferrien observes, an erroneous opinion prevailed in France that the greater number of miscarriages between three and four months, were males; the mistake, says he, evidently arose from the size of the clitoris at this period—Mem. de l’Acad. Royal des Sciences de Paris, 1767, p. 330. See also Arnaud on Hermaphrodites. Parsons, Phil. Trans. 1751, 142.
[480]. Male’s Juridical Medicine, edit. 2, p. 266. Baillie’s Morbid Anatomy.
[481]. Hist. de l’Academie Royal, &c, 1720.
[482]. Principles of Forensic Medicine, p. 498.
[483]. We omitted to state in page [286] that an enlarged Clitoris is almost endemial in some countries, particularly Egypt and Darfur, where the excision of it is very commonly practised, and the operation is performed a little before the period of puberty, or at about the age of 8 or 9 years; this custom is mentioned by Strabo, and also by Albucasis, who in his 7th chapter observes, that every parent knows when a child has those parts longer than ordinary, and cut and burn them off while the girls are very young. De Graaf was also acquainted with the fact, and observes, “Estque hujus partis chirurgia orientalibus tam necessaria quam decora.”
[484]. In which case the finding of the jury should follow the words of the commission, or the inquisition may be quashed. Ex parte Cranmer, 12. Ves. 455.