Conjoined triplets are among the rarest of human malformations, as are asymmetric or parasitic conjoined twins. Based on a very modest corpus of recent literature, we applied the embryonic disk model of conjoined twinning to 10 previously reported cases involving asymmetric anatomical multiplications to determine whether they concerned conjoined twins or conjoined triplets. In spite of their phenotypic similarities, we diagnosed four of these cases as conjoined twins and three of them as conjoined triplets. In the remaining three cases, no definite diagnosis could be made, as essential information was lacking from the reports. We conclude that it is not necessarily the expected duplication or triplication of structures that points to the correct diagnosis in these cases, but the number and mutual position of the hearts they presented with. Considering their rarity we stress to thoroughly investigate and describe internal (dys)morphology in novel cases of (asymmetric) conjoined twins and triplets to further unravel their pathogenicity and come to the correct diagnoses.

The Medical School of Padua (Italy) contributed profoundly to the study of teratology. Many famous physicians and professors of medicine, such as Liceti, Vallisneri, Morgagni, and Malacarne, have studied and investigated these anomalies to better understand the causes and to find a potential explanation, often preserving the specimens for future studies. The present study highlights some historical cases of conjoined twins and a conjoined triplet preserved at the Morgagni Museum of Human Anatomy to show the development of medical theories in the teratological field between the 18th and early 19th century. This approach will provide insights into different study methods and ideas of some of the most famous scholars working in Padua at that time. The current article focuses on rare cases, both human and animal, that were encountered by physicians who worked in the Veneto area in the late 18th and early 19th century. Their detailed descriptions are not only of historical but also of contemporary dysmorphological value.

The cremation has been documented since prehistoric times and it was a common funerary custom until the advent of Catholicism. Falling into disuse, during XVII–XVIII centuries there were new movements to bring it back according to modern criteria, mainly due to hygienic reasons and cemeteries overcrowding. This also led to the prototyping of new crematory ovens to improve the ancient open-air pyre. Lodovico Brunetti was the first to carry out a crematory experimental research in the modern countries. Since Brunetti's studies were based on the study of ancient cremations, a comparison with a modern experience of reconstruction of archaeological cremation is presented to evaluate the validity of his crematorium oven. Furthermore, the social and religious aspects related to Brunetti's inventions and the revitalization of cremation shows how tools and technologies and also the cultural environment have evolved over the years, effectively accepting the cremation practice as an alternative to inhumation.

No abstract

No abstract