The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-10-12

THE SiAMEsE TwIys.-Dr. Warren of Boston.
lately communicated the following among other
interesting particulars in regard to the Siamese
twins: The Connecting substance is very strong.
and has no great sensbty it can be severely
handled without causing pain No pulsatIng YES.
sci can be felt in it. The slightest motion Of one
Is Immediately followed bv the other in the same
direction, SO that the same wish seems TO inAn.
ence both; this is quite involuntary. or habi,
formed by necessity. They always face in one di.
recton, standing nearly side by side, and cannot
without Inconvenience face In opposite directions
One Is rather more intellectual than the other the
most intelligent being rather irritable, the other
being extremely amiable.
The connexon between these twins might afyort,
some very interesting observations in physiology
theraputcs, and pathology. There il doubtless a
connexion By minute blood vessels, absorbents
and nervous tilaments, which might transmit the
action of medicines and causes of disease As far
ms known, any indisposition Of one extends TO the
other they are inclined to sleep and eat at the
same time ani in the same quantity, and to per.
form in the same manner other similar acts II
Is supposed that when they are rslecp touching
one awahens both, but when awake, an impulse
given TO one does no, affect the other The slight.
est movement OF one is so soon perceived bv the
other, that a careless observer might think they
acted simultaneously. No part seems TO haye Il
perception common to both, except the middle o
the connecting substance, and its neighborhood
for when an impression is made at this part, il /:
felt by both, while beyond this space it Is iel, on
ly by the one Of the side to which il is applied.
From the limited vascular nnd nervous connex
ion that can be discovered, DR.. Warren suppose.
that the influence of medicine, transmitted from
one TO the other would be inconsiderable; and the
same wouldapply to most diseases-fpr instance
slight fever would not probably extend from
one to the other; while disease communicable
through the absorbents or capilarics, az small
poX would be readily transmitted The beatings
OF both hearts coincide exactly, ne also the pulses
under ordinary circumstances; il one exerts him.
self without the other, his pulse alone will be
qulckened, while the latter is unchanged. They
breathe exactly together.
This harmony in corporeal functions would lead
US 10 ask il there be a similar harmony in the in
tellcctual functions; if they are iienticaly the
same persons. There ~ no reason to suppose that
their intellectual operations are nny more III,
same than they would be in any two persons
confined together, educated under similar crsum
stances, and with similar habits aud tastes.
Then would come the question whether thew
could be separated with safety Perhaps such an
operation would not be necessarily fltal. Mt the
peritonitm may be continuous from one to tia
other, and the opening of this great serous cayi
ty might be attended with dangerous symptoms
Should one die before the other, It should be i'm
medately performed, but no surgeon would be
justified in attempting such an operation to free
them from mere inconvenience; which incon.
venience, il we may believe the reports Of their
domestic affairs and tlourishing condition in world
ly goods, is, after all, of no very great impor
tancc.