The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-24 00:00:00

DEATH OF THE SIAMESE TWINS.

Chang and Ear, the Siamese Twins, died on Sitar-
day g their home in North Carolina. Eng lived two
home longer than Chang. Thee extraordinary twins
were born in Siam, of Chinese parents, in 1811, and
were, therefore, 6.3 years of age at the time of their
death. From birth their bodies were united in a
ognlar manner by a band of flesh, stretching from
the end of one breast-bone to the same place in the
opposite twin. Tbe survival to advanced life
of such .a testa mama made this one of the most re-
markable cases on record. A union of the bodies of
twine by various parts Is t -,t an unusual octlurreoce.
Ambrose Paid hasfilepicted ins.ances of union by the
back, belly, and forehead. The last occurred In two
girls, who lived to the age of ten years, when one of
them dying, a separation was made ; the wound of the
living girl assumed a bad character, and soon proved
fatal. The Hungarian sisters, who lived about • nen.
tury since, were united by the back. They died
when they were twenty-two years of age. The
Siamese twins were purchased of their mother at
Mektonr, • city of Siam, and were brought t
America by Captain Coffin and Mr. Hunter in 1829.
On examination, the connecting band seemed to have
united them at first face to face, but constant traction
had so changed its direction, that they stood parti.lly
side by aide. Its length above was two inches; below,
nearly four; from above, downwards, it measured
three inches; and its greatest thickness was one and
• kali inch, It was covered with skin, and when the
centre was touched, both felt it; but on touching
either side of the median line, only the nearest in-
dividual wm sensible of it, The connection between the
&ammo twins presented many interesting points in
regard to physiology and pathology, for although they
formed two perfectly distinct being., they appeared mo, t
frequently to think, act, and move as one indivte
dual. Alter realizing • competence by the exhibition
of themselves in the various countries of Europe, the
Simms twins settled in one of the Southern states of
America, where the, were 'married to two deka% and

• _
ifisd-efifiring. oiling to drin—eitic-quarrela, however,
two housee were found necessary, each living with his
wile a week at a time alternately. They were, it ia
%anted, ruili,d by the disadrous civil war in America,
and in ISC9 redlippeared in Europe for exhibition.
Having realisisi a considerable sum they again returned
to America to end their dityain peace and vest.
When the twins paid their last visit to this country, !
and, in satiety, di in of the probable death of one of
them before the other, it was then proposed to separate
them by dividing the ligature which connected their
bodh a. The matter formed the subject of much dir.
cession among eminent surgical auhorities in this
country and in France, and various opinions were ex-
pressed as to the probability of the operation frying
performed with.mt endangering the life of the twine.
The ivopo al was ul,imately rejected, and Chang and
Erg returned, undivided, to North Caroline, where
they followed the occupation of farmers.