Throughout most of human history, congenital anomalies were perceived as omens, portents, or punishments of supernatural origin. This concept is reflected in the term "monster," probably derived from the Latin verb monstrare (to show or reveal). Other explanations for congenital abnormalities included witchcraft, astrological configurations, or emotional experiences of the pregnant mother. Malformed humans and animals also inspired many of the characters populating the literature, mythology, art, and religion of every culture.By the eighteenth century superstition still dominated public conceptions of malformations, but this topic was beginning to attract serious attention from physicians and scientists. Abnormalities such as conjoined twins were a popular subject for anatomists, who produced some superb morphological studies.
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