Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-05-19
NO. 8.
THE SIAMEsE TWINS


The Siamese Twins have been LOST
from pubic view for the last few years
1t was well known of them that thew haC
married two sisters, and settled dowf
near Salisbury, N. c., on well-stocked
plantation. In addition to this. they
have ample funds invested through tbeiI
agent at New York.
Through North Carolina medical
man, now within our lines, we had. the
other day, an opportunity of minute and
fulI particulars in regard to them Ever
since the war began, they have continued
! 20 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 prospered, except when out
OF temper from any cause, it was apt to
work itself off by striking the first one
that came to hand, from which the best
escape Was to keep out Of the way. The
Drothers probably never would have had
any difficulty, but thattheir wives, though
sisters, turned away their hearts. and
children were the cause of this estrange-
ment
Up to the period when each had five
children, all prospered well enough. but
one of them had sixth. and this awolre
envy and jealousy to such a degree that
the sisters, not being bound together like
the twin brothers, would no longer live
under the same roof; though, we believe.
still IN different houses on the plantation,
1he brothers are now, it seems about
nifty years of age; but one, we believe.
the smaller and feebler of the two. looks
1t Is SAID now fully ten years older than
the other They can turn back to back
and face to face, but that is as far as the
remarkable bond that unites them will
no Il
either die the other could not survive
even for more than few minutes. as
there IS an artery, large femoral artery
that connects them
A few years since they corresponded
with some Of the leading surgical opera
tors in London, as to the possibility Of
the umbilicus which unitee them being
cut, so that in case of the death of the
one the other might be saved. At the
request of the London surgeons. tbey
visited the city, and many Experiment.
were tried to determine the safety Of such
an operation. Among other things.
ligature was tied firmly for few minutes
round the connection between them so as
to prevent the circulstion of blood
through the artery. But it seemed as if
each would expire if this were longer per
sisted in.
The smaller of the two tainted away.
and lost all consciousness, and there were
symptoms that the same effect would fol-
low to the other, but that the process
could not be continued long enough with
out endangering the life of him who was
first to faint Should the smaller and
feebler die, it would be worth while max
ing the experiment of operating but the
prospects of prolonging the life of the
other would be very small Should, how
ever, the larger and more healthy of the
twin brothers die, there would seem alb
solutely no hope of saving the feebler of
the two
From all this it is evident, that though
the connection between these two broth
ers is very remarkable and perfectly uD-
ique, it is yet not so absolute as has been
usually supposed. In the American Cy-i
clOpedia, for instance, it is said their
respiration and circulation are generally
synchronOus IN the calm state, and their
hours of sleeping and walking, their lows
and sorrows, anger and pain, ideas and
desires are the same. They realize the
idea of perfect friendship, the two being
one; and each one two in thought and act. +"
As to ideas being the same, this is by no
means more necessarily so than their
similar education and habits would occa-
sion. Each one can hold conversation
with different person at the same time.
One does not necessarily know, there
fore, what may be communicated to the
other, although their feeling and pas
sions are generally similar, owing to the
same cause operating upon both. Even |
this is net necessarily the case, especially.
we suppose, as to the degrees Of feeling, |
Since the breaking out of the rebellion.
they have both dressed in the Confeder.
ate gray, are both members Of the same
church having united with small Bap- |
tist church in their neighborheod. of
which they have been considered very
worthy members, though born Siamese.-I
Plb6Zic Led0er