salli's account, which differs slightly from
the account in the Medical News, is briefly as follows: While straining
at stool on the one hundred and fifteenth day of pregnancy the
membranes ruptured and a foot prolapsed, no pain having been felt
before the accident. A fetus was delivered by the midwife. Valsalli was
summoned and found the woman with an enormously distended abdomen,
within which were felt numerous fetal parts; but no fetal heart-sounds
or movements were noticed. The cervix was only slightly dilated, and,
as no pains were felt, it was agreed to wait. On the next day the
membranes were ruptured and 4 more fetuses were delivered. Traction on
the umbilical cord started hemorrhage, to check which the physician
placed his hand in the uterine cavity. In this most arduous position he
remained four hours until assistance from Lugano came. Then, in the
presence of the three visiting physicians, a sixth amniotic sac was
delivered with its fetus. The woman had a normal convalescence, and in
the following year gave birth to healthy, living twins. The News says
the children all moved vigorously at birth; there were 4 males and 2
females, and for the 6 there was only one placenta The mother,
according to the same authority, was thirty-six years of age, and was
in her second pregnancy.

Multiple Births over Six.--When we pass sextuplets the records of
multiple births are of the greatest rarity and in modern records there
are almost none. There are several cases mentioned by the older writers
whose statements are generally worthy of credence, which, however
incredible, are of sufficient interest at least to find a place in this
chapter. Albucasis affirms that he knew of the birth of seven children
at one time; and d'Alechampius reports that Bonaventura, the slave of
one Savelli, a gentleman of Siena, gave birth to 7 children, 4 of whom
were baptized. At the Parish of San Ildefonso, Valladolid, Julianna,
wife of Benito Quesada, gave birth to 3 children in one day, and during
the following night to 4 more. Sigebert, in his Chronicles, says that
the mother of the King of Lombardy had borne 7 children at a birth.
Borellus says that in 1650 the lady of the then present Lord Darre gave
birth to eight perfect children at one parturition and that it was the
unusual event of the country.

Mrs. Timothy Bradlee of Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1872 is reported to
have given birth to 8 children at one time. They were healthy and
liv