Mary Toft and the Sinister Rabbits

If anyone remembers Mary Toft at all, it’s as the woman who hoaxed some of the most powerful men of 18th century England into believing she could give birth to rabbits. This is not a cute story about a genius prankster, however. This is a sinister tale of familial abuse, brutal medical malpractice and a powerless, poverty-stricken young mother. Mary Toft might be a funny piece of trivia in hoax history, but she is much more than that in every way.