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.
And the History reported by _Riolanus_ favours the Opinion against those
who maintain that Generation may be perform'd by shedding of the Seed on
the Cabia of a Woman's Privities. The _Vagina_ of the Woman mention'd by
this Writer, was shut up with Scars after a troublesome Child-birth, to
such a Degree as only to leave a small Hole for the passage of the Terms
and Urine, through which also pass'd the Husband's Seed that got her
with Child; this might not hinder these two Persons from Copulating
strictly; nay, there must have been a strict Alliance and the Womb, by
contracting of the Passage, must in this Case have drawn the Seed as
greedily as an hungry Stomach attracts the Victuals by the Mouth.
Some Persons have believ'd that a Woman may Engender, without the
Application of a Man's Privities. They tell us of a Woman that was got
with Child in the Embraces of her She-Companion, who but a little before
came from her Husband's Arms: And of a young Woman that was found
Breeding by no other Cause than her Father's having by chance Polluted
himself in the same Bed where she was: But these Stories seem to be
contriv'd to cover the Lasciviousness of Women, and conceal the Vice of
an impure Love.
There is a Story in some Authors, that having put Human Seed into a Viol
close stopp'd, and plac'd it for some time in a Dunghill that was
moderately hot; they observ'd that the Particles drew up themselves in
such Order, as to assume the Form of a Child. This (say they) comes to
pass after the same manner as the Forming of a Chick in an Egg, which
requires only a temperate Heat to Hatch it. But they agree, that 'twas
impossible to Nourish this Infant, which according to them, perish'd
before 'twas intirely Form'd. If this Observation were true, it would
make us believe that the whole Matter of which the Child is Form'd
proceeds from the Man. But this Story wants Confirmation, as does
likewise the following Relation Communicated in a Letter by Mr. _Donat_
Surgeon to the Army in _Italy_, relating to a Man's Conception.
_I am at this very time employ'd in tending a Person of Quality that's
come a great way off. In the right Side of his_ Scrotum _he had a great
Lump, bigger than the Head of a Child; which I cut off, and afterwards
ty'd up the Spermatick Artery. This Lump was a Mass of Flesh, all over
Spermatick, and very Solid, with very hard Bones in every part. 'Twas
contain'd in an After-birth with a great deal of Water. The Spermatick
Vessels which perform'd the Office of those we call Umbilical, were
overgrown much beyond their Natural size. The Circumstances that
occasion'd this Generation, confirms the Effect that follow'd. In_ June
_last, the Gentleman us'd a great deal of Liberty with a certain Lady,
without coming to actual Enjoyment; upon which he was seiz'd with a
cutting pain in the right Testicle, which after two Hours became
insensible. In process of time a Tumour rose by degrees, which was
joined to the Testicle, and was as big as a_ Turkey'_Egg. The 8th of_
December _last, this Gentleman came hither incognito; but put off the
Operation 'till this time, by reason of the cold Season. In the mean
time the Swelling increas'd so much, that the_ Scrotum _being uncapable
of a greater Extension; it reach'd all over the Groin, and I had a great
deal of trouble in tying the Spermatick Vessels at Rings of the Abdomen.
This is an Experiment that shews, that the whole Substance of Man is
contain'd in the Male Seed; and that Women furnish only the Vessel, and
the Substance of Growth and Nourishment. I have preserv'd this
Production to justify the Truth of my Assertion._
Donat.
Sisteron, _May_ the 3d. 1697.
FINIS.
End of Project Gutenberg's Tractus de Hermaphrodites, by Giles Jacob