The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-01-27
From The London Morning Herald, .Nov. 25.
SIR ASHLEY COOPER AND THE
SIAMESE YOUTHS.

We were yesterday admitted to private
inspection, at the Egyptian Hall, of the two
( Siamese youths, whose bodies are, in a
manner so unexampled, inseparably attach
| ed to each other.
I When we entered, the boys were rang
ing the apartments with Indifference. Their
attire was made to resemble, as nearly as
! possible, the costume of their native coun-
try. The front part of their heads was
closely cropped, and over the back part of
the crown, the hair, which is there suffered
to grow at great length, was wound into
graceful plated wreath. The persons of
these boys exactly resemble the figures of
the Chinese, which may be frequently seen
! in the shops in London and whoever can
imagine two of these figures engaged in
the evolutions of a waltz, will have a verv
accurate notion Of the Siamese youths.
The medium OF attachment between the
two bodies consists apparently of piece of
| flesh, running from the pit of the stomach
OF the one TO exactly corresponding place
in the other. This ligament seems to be a
part of the body of each. The natural po-
slton of the youths, or that which seems to
! place connecting ligament in its natural
! form, is that of face to face. This position,
as must be obvious, is exit emely inconven-
lent, and the boys have consequently ac-
| customed themselves to stand or move side
by side. Their persons are thus drawn mu-
tually closer, which makes it necessary for
one TO place his arm about the neck or
waist of the other. This position may be
varied-that is, the ligament may be made
| an axis upon which the youths can turn and
bring in contact the opposite sides, instead
of those which were first in collision. The
liganent itself has been a subject of Curl
Gus speculation to the learned. The supe-
rlor edge is formed of cartilage, but the ap-
prehension of Justification is quite idle.
There can be no doubt Of communication
of some sort between the two boys through
the internal part of this ligament but nei-
Their Sir A. Cooper nor Mr.. Brodie, nor anv
other Of the medical men, could discover
the least pulsation in it-a fact which neg
atves the possibility o: arterial communica-
tion. Mr.. Brodie, seemingly DESTROYS of
carrying his inquiries to some satisfactory
point, requested, through the medium of an
interpreter, that one of the boys would
cough. One of them instantly complied,
| and coughed as often as he was desired.
The result was important, for Mr.. Brodie
declared that he has now no doubt that her.
mia existed, or, in popular language, that
portion of intestine on one side had pene-
trated half way at least through channel
within the connecting ligament. Sir A.
Cooper was asked if he thought the two bod
les might be separated. /" / should not like
to try" said Sir Ashley, but why separate
them-the boys seem perfectly happy as
they are" Then turning to Capt. Coffin,
depend on it," continued Sir Ashley in
his playful manner, "those boys will fetch
vast deal more money while they are to-
gether than when they are separate" Mr..
! BrodIe perfectly concurred with Sir Ashley,
that an attempt at separation would be high
| lY dangerous. Not that any vital organ
would be affected by the operation-but he
was sure, from the mutual attachment of
| the two youths, that such shock would be
given to the nervous system of both as to
endanger their lives.
So far from recommending an attempt to
separate the bodies, Sir A. Cooper and Mr..
Brodie, confirmed by the rest of the faculty
present, recommended even that, in case
one should die, the ligament should be cut
! as closely as possible to the surface of the
body of the deceased, for fear of iniuring
the survivor. There can now, we believe,
be no doubt that the two youths are per-
fectly distinct beings, having each his or
ganlzation perfectly independent Of the 9TH
er. From the circumstances of their eat
ing, drinking, and sleeping simultaneously,
/ some persons have inferred that their wants,
/ appetites, and sensations, are common; but
those who know the power of habit, will
immediately discover a reason for these
facts, without yielding to so violent an in
ference. Perhaps the total independence
Of the volltion Of the one brother upon that
| OF the other could not be more strikingly
exempltied than by circumstance which
took place during the day. The youths
after rambling about the room, turned into
the passage which leads from the entrance
door OF the apartment; as they approached
the door, which is partly of glass, Capt.
Coffin called Chang, the name to which one
of them answers. The youth instantly
turned, in obedience to the call, whilst his
brother eagerly went forward to CRAFTY his
curiosity by peeping through the door
Now" said Mr.. Croker to some friends
that surrounded him, am satisfied that
these boys cannot be governed by one will,
for you perceive that the inclination of one
boy was to return in obedience to the sum-
mons which he had heard, but he is drawn
away in an opposite direction by the other,
in the eagerness of his curiosity. These
boys cannot therefore, be governed by one
impulse"
However scientific men may speculate as
to the causes or consequences Of the phys
zeal junction of these youths, no one, we
think, who sees them, can fail to be touch
ed with the perfect harmony that subsists
between them. They are docile in the ex-
IRENE, and possess the most engaging dis
positions. In their wishes, their desires,
their movements, they seem TO be controll-
ed by single impulse. Attempts have
been made to create jealousies between
them, but without the slightest effect. ANY
gift which they receive, capable of division,
is shared between them; and any other des-
crption of present passes from one to the
other as joint possession. 1t would, per-
hans, be more inst tn sav TINT thev nnnear