nn
n
n She was born Mary Denyer at Godalming, Surrey, andnbaptised on February 21st 1703. In 1720, she married Joshua Toft, anjourneyman clothier (a journeyman was someone who had completed hisnapprenticeship but was not yet a master of his craft. They were oftennitinerants, who worked for day wages – hence the term ‘journeyman’, fromnthe French journée – ‘day’). Mary was an unprepossessing girl;nshe was short of stature and bad tempered, stupid and illiterate, wilful,nwooden and stolid.
n
n
n
 |
| N St Andre’s opinion of Mary Toft |
n
n
n
nJoshua and Mary had three children and, in spring 1726, shenwas pregnant again. In the first few weeks, whilst working in the fields, Mary was shocked by a rabbit that sprang unseen at her feet. She and her companionnthen saw another rabbit, and from then Mary developed an obsession withnrabbits, she dreamed about them and had an overwhelming urge to eat them, anluxury an eighteenth century English peasant could ill afford.
n
n
n
 |
| Mary Toft |
n
n
n
nIn early August,nMary began to suffer from severe abdominal pains and egested a mass of unformedntissue, followed three weeks later by a similar event. During the night ofnSeptember 27th, she was again taken ill during the night and hernmother-in-law, Ann Toft, who was a midwife was sent for. Mary delivered whatnwas said to resemble the lights and innards of a pig. Joshua Toft took these tonMr John Howard, a surgeon and man-midwife with thirty years experience, atnGuilford, and Mr Howard went to Godalming some days later, where he deliverednwhat seemed to be further parts of a pig.
n
n
n
nIt seemed that the affair was over,nbut early in November, Mary Toft went into labour once more and Howard returnednto Godalming. News began to reach the London medical establishment that a womannin Surrey was giving birth to rabbits, and these rumours were confirmed when MrnHoward wrote to the capital, saying he had removed Mrs Toft to Guilford afternshe had borne nine rabbits and inviting any interested parties to come and seenthe wonders for themselves.
n
n
n
 |
| Nathaniel St Andre |
n
n
n
nThis invitation was taken up by Dr Nathaniel StnAndré, surgeon to the Royal Household of King George I, who travelled tonGuilford on November 15th, in the company of the Honourable MrnSamuel Molyneux, Secretary to H R H the Prince of Wales. They arrived in thenafternoon and were met by Howard, who informed them that Mrs Toft was in the processnof delivering her fifteenth rabbit. St André and Howard attended her, findingnher in great pain, and soon after she delivered the torso of a rabbit, strippednof its skin but containing lungs, heart and diaphragm. The doctors examined MrsnToft and St André found irregularities in the right fallopian tube, suspectingnthat the rabbits were developing there before passing into the uterus.
n
n
n
 |
| A Bunny Baby? |
n
n
n
nTheynrepaired to the mayor’s house, and two hours later news reached them that MrsnToft had borne the hind parts of a rabbit that fitted with the torso deliverednearlier. They returned to the doctor’s house, where Toft was once more innimmense pain, and soon after the rolled-up skin of a rabbit appeared togethernwith a rabbit’s head, complete with skin, and with a torn ear. All the parts sonfar delivered were preserved in alcohol, and St André began his examination ofnthem.
n
n
n
nIn the guts of one, normal rabbit dung was found, containing plantnmaterial, although another contained a thick, viscous mucus resemblingnmeconium. The first creature was found not to be a perfect rabbit, having threenof its four paws more like those of a cat, the various sections formed completenbodies although some lacked viscera, and the majority were female.
n
n
n
 |
|
| St Andre – Narrative – 1726 |
n
n
n
n
n
nSt Andrénwrote a short but medically detailed report, which he forwarded to London andnwhich was presented before the King and court on November 26th 1726.
n
n
n
nIt caused an immediate sensation.
nnn
n
n
nTomorrow – Just how the immediate sensation went …
nnn