Case of mylacephalous acardiac twin / by H. Ernest Trestrail. Dissection of Mr. Trestrail's case of mylacephalous acardiac twin : with notes on acardiac monsters in the museums of London hospitals / by Alban Doran.

  • Trestrail, H. Ernest.
Date:
[1889?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Case of mylacephalous acardiac twin / by H. Ernest Trestrail. Dissection of Mr. Trestrail's case of mylacephalous acardiac twin : with notes on acardiac monsters in the museums of London hospitals / by Alban Doran. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    thin and ill developed. Extreme talipes equino-varus existed. The gap between the left os pubis and the point of the rudimentary right innominate bone was filled up by the rectum, which was enclosed in a fairly developed muscular sheath, partly consisting of the levatores ani. The rectum passed first through the imperfect pelvic brim in front of the sacrum and behind the kidney. The single ureter lay in the rectum, and was lost in the integuments behind the cloaca where the rectum opened. The kidney lay in the hollow between the ilium and the lumbar vertebrae and sacrum. From the direction of the rudimentary right innominate bone (Fig. 4, r. p.), the blunt-pointed upper extremity of the foetus, overhanging the genital cleft (Fig. 1, Nat. cleft), must represent not the site of the head and thorax but the rudiments of the left lower extremity. Thus this acardiacus consisted of the left lower extre- mity and left side of pelvis, the sacrum and coccyx, large intestine pervious to its outlet at the cloaca, and left kidney, all complete. The lower lumbar vertebrao, right side of pelvis, and small intestines were rudimentary, the ureter ended in the integument, the clitoris overhung a cloaca. The right kidney, the suprarenal capsules, bladder, uterus, ovaries, upper abdominal viscera, upper lumbar vertebrae, dorsal and cervical vertebrae, upper extremities, and the thorax and its contents, with the cranium and its contents, were absolutely wanting. A blunt point of flesh represented the right lower extremity. I have classified this monster under St. Hilaire’s sub- class “ mylacephalus,” which lies between “ amorphus ” and “ acephalus.” As the left leg was well formed it could not be called “ amorphus.” On the other hand, “ acephalus ” is generally understood to imply acardiacs where both legs are fairly formed, or, at least, sireniform, the pelvic and lower abdominal viscera being fairly deve- loped. Mylacephalus implies that the head, or more or