of beings conceived at short intervals, and brought forth into the world at the same time by a common mother.

Women are generally uniparous, and we regard as unusual the occurrence of twins, but how much more astounding is it to find commingling at the same time in the same womb the vivified germs of men of different "race, color, and perhaps previous conditions of servitude."

But there is nothing in this remark to controvert the supposition that different men of the same race may furnish the rudiments to each individual embryo, which the uterus may contain, as I shall hereafter illustrate by example.

When we come to consider that both glands of the uterus can furnish an ovum simultaneously, and each ovum is liable to impregnation, (as often takes place in case of twins,) can we not suppose that the product of different men, and of different races of men, who may engage in coitu in quick succession, may impregnate each ovum, the one independent of the other. And so we also know what takes place subsequently.

Each foetus is contained within its own amnion and chorion, each its own liquor amnii, and each has its own chord and placenta.

"Each distinct from the other,

Is nourished by its mother."

But I shall content myself with giving you a list of cases that have come under the observation of others, so far as I have been able to find them recorded in works at my command. Doubtless there are many given which I have not seen, and many remain yet unreported. The one I shall notice was related to me by Dr. Hundley, which occurred in the practice of his preceptor, and, unlike the case I have just reported, both supposed fathers were white men.

A married lady, in good standing in society, was confined, and delivered of twins, both white, but so unlike in appearance that it arrested the attention of the accoucheur and he determined to investigate. As the children grew on, their features became more dissimilar, the one had black hair, dark

eyes, and dark skin, the image of the father, the other light sandy hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion, which corresponded exactly to the features of a drug clerk, who was intimate with the family. The Doctor finally visited the mother, and with threats of exposure, extorted from her a confession that on one occasion her husband left home, to be gone a couple of weeks, and being visited by the drug clerk, she received him in her embrace. Just as he had completed his illicit intercourse, the husband unexpectedly entered the gate. The clerk slipped out the back way unnoticed, and the husband took his place in the nuptial bower. The wife conceived, and gave to the world another evidence that twins can be born of different fathers.

I

I have been informed by Dr. James Bowen that he saw a case similar to the one I have here narrated, which happened in the practice of Dr. Barron, of Jones county, Georgia. will conclude by giving you a transcript from the foot notes, in Ramsbotham's Process of Parturition, with author's views on the subject of which I am writing.

A white woman at Charleston, S. C., was delivered, in 1714, of two children, one black and the other white. This difference in color led to an inquiry, and she confessed that on a particular day immediately after her husband had left his bed, a negro entered her room, and threatening to murder her if she did not consent, forced her to submit to his will.

Dr. Mosely has recorded another instance somewhat similar. (Tropical Diseases, p. 111.) It occurred within his own knowledge, on Shortwood estate, Jamaica. A negro woman brought forth at a birth two children of the same size, one of which was a negro and the other a mulatto. On being questioned, she admitted that a white man belonging to the estate came into her hut one morning before she was up, and she suffered his embraces almost immediately after her black husband had left her.

Dr. Dewees (Philadelphia Medical Museum, vol. 1,) has related, that a servant in Montgomery county was delivered of a black and white child at one birth, which were often seen

by the Doctor. He states, also, that on the report of her pregnancy, both a black and white man disappeared from the neighborhood; and Elliotson (Notes to Blumenbach, p. 485,) has put on record, that Mr. Blackaller, of Weybridge, sent him the following account: A white woman of very loose character left her husband, and some time afterwards returned pregnant, to the parish, and was delivered in the workhouse of twins; "one of which," says Mr. Blackaller, “was born of a darker color than I have usually observed in the infants of negroes in the West Indies; the hair quite black, with the woolly appearance usual to them, with flat nose and thick lips; the other had all the appearances common to white children." That these respective twins were not the offspring of one parent is very evident, and a second impregnation, therefore, must have taken place; but we have proof in two, at least, that the connections followed each other quickly, before any changes could have been commenced in the uterus.

With the knowledge, then, of such accidental occurrences in our possession, we are warranted in believing that, in the case of a woman living with her husband, twins might possibly be the result of two separate connections, if only a short period intervened between them.

NYSTAGMUS.

BY J. S. BANKSON, M. D., OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Miss R., aged nine, living in a miasmatic climate in Jackson county, was generally healthy, except a few chills and fevers, up to 1872; some time before May was taken with nystagmus, which is said to be an epileptiform affection of the oculo motorial centres. Her spells would come on during the day, sometimes twenty or more, lasting from one to about two minutes. The oscillations of the eyes were very frequent, (a kind of dancing of the eyes, termed by some,) and the alternate movements of the lids at the same time. During a paroxysm her head would be turned to one side, and downwards generally, a kind of sinking of the system, and the chin almost on the breast; the pupils were dilated so that she could not see well, immediately after a fit, and her mind a little confused; but in a short time would answer questions intelligently, walk about as usual, do turns, was perfectly lively, and otherwise healthy until, after treatment a month or more, she had a few chills, which were cured by quinine and iron.

Treatment May 10th (before I saw her), was strychnine in moderate doses, about ten days, without apparent benefit. May 20th, I used brom. potass., 4 to 8 grs., thrice daily; continued until June 2d with some apparent benefit, when her father undertook to bring her to me (at Stevenson), a distance of eight or ten miles, on horseback; but her paroxysms were so frequent, that he stopped with her at Mr. H.'s, about four miles from town, where I visited her the first time; continued the brom. potass. in larger doses, about 10 grains thrice daily, a gentle purgative occasionally, with slight pus

tulation on the nucha by croton oil lin. Then, June 4th, he started with her again, but stopped in about half a mile, in consequence of her inability to ride from the effects of the spell, at Mr. T. R.'s, where I visited her; and near there, at Mr. I. P. R.'s, I saw her have two paroxysms.

I continued this treatment until the 17th of June, when I commenced iodide potass, 5 to 8 grs. three times a day, with a little quinine and tinct. iron, completely curing her of the nystagmus and chills by July 2d, when I dismissed her.

She has remained well ever since, so far as I know.