The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-04-29
The SiankCse Twins.


The Siamese Twins have been lost from
public view for the last few years. 1t was
well known of them that they married two
sisters, and settled down near Salisbury, in
North Carolina, on q well stocked planta-
ton. In addition to this, they have ample
funds invested through their agent in New
York Through North Carolina medical
gentlemen, now within our iines, we had the
other day an opportunity of getting minute
and full particulars in regard to them. Ever
| since the war began they have continued to
reside on their plantation, and lived in the
same quiet and harmony as ever until within
two years. OF course no one ever thought
of drafting them, and their negroes pros
pcred, except that when out of temper from
any cause, it was often apt to work itself Oft
in striking the first one that came to hand,
from which the best escape was too keep out
of the way The brothers probably never
would have had any difficulty, but that their
wives, though sisters, turned away their
hearts, and children were the cause of this
enstrangement. Up to the period that each
had five children. all prospcrcd well enough,
but one of them had sixth, and this awoke
envy and jealousy to such a degree that the
two sisters. not being bound together like
the two brothers, would no longer live under
the same roof, though, we believe, still in
different houses on the same plantation.
The brothers are now, it seems, about fifty
years of age, but one, we believe, the
smaller and feebler Of the two, looks, it is
said, now fully ten years older than the
Other.
They can turn back to back or face to
face, but that is as far as the remarkable
bond that unites them permits. 1t is almost
certain that should either die the other could
not survive even more than a few minutes,
as there is an artery as large as the tpmoral
artery that connec's them. A few years
since they correspondent with some Of the
leading surgical operators in London, as to
the possibility of the umsilicus which unites
them being cut, so that in case of the death
Of one, the life of the other might be saved
At the request Of the London surgeon, they
visited that city, and many experiments were
tried to determine the safety of such an OPP
Grafton. Among other things, Il igature was
tied firmly for a few minutes round the con-
nection between them, so as to prevent the
circulation of blood through the artery
But it seemed as if each would expire if this
were persisted in. The smaller of the two
tainted away and lost all consciousness, and
there were symptoms that the same effect
would follow to the other, but that the pro-
cess could not be continued long enough
without endangering the life of him who was
first to faint. Should the smaller and tceb,
Ter die, it might be worth while making the
experiment operating, but the prospects Of
prolonging the life of the other would be
very small. Should however, the larger
and more healthy of the twin brothers die,
there would seem absolutely no hope Of saw
ing the feebler of the two. From all this it
is evident that though the connection between
these two brothers is very remarkable and
perfectly unique, it is yet not so absolute as
has been usually supposed. PAH Ledger.