Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-10-20
Can their Separation be Safely
Undertaken
BY DIR. PAUL F. EVE.

From the Louisville Medical Journal.
Our Newspaper editors are again spec
ulRting and writing romantic articles on
the above question, melted by the ssser-
ton that Messrs. Chang and Eng are
about visiting Paris TO find surgeon bold
enough to undertake their separation.
The whole movement is but another eVi-
dence OF the lamentable ignorance of the
public in medical matters, and of the
prurient delight which the world always
takes in wrapping everything connected
with the human system in the grossest
mystery. There never has been ques-
ton among medical men, either in this
country or in Europe, in regard to the
feasibility of the separation Of these two
individuals, that they are two beings,
having distinct aggregated and perfect
organizations, one from the other, as
any other two individuals; that there is
no physical, moral or mental unity be-
tween them, the only connection being
short cartilaginous and integrimentsl
band common to the two, the severance
Of which would, In all probability, be
entirely harmless; that no sensations,
nervous impressions, physical, morbid,
mental or nervo- mental condition y ever
exhibited physical unity in their dual
corporal existenee;p ~ that they have no
unity of conceptions, impulses, thoughts,
etc.; that it never was the professional
opinion that the death of one of the bro
thers would Instantly be followed by that
Of the other, or that their separation was
surrounded by fearful difficulties; and
that the link now binding them together
is not means of perfect physical union |
by which sensations or impressions are.
conveyed from one to the other. There |
10, in fact, nothing more common between |
these Sismeee than what would have |
been acquired by any other twins indis- |
solubiy united by hempsn or metallic |
cord and subjected, as they have ever |
been, to precisely similar circumstances
from their birth. Indeed, the band unit
ing them is almost insensible-so much |
so that, on ship-board, they were pulled
about by Q rope tied to it. No pulsating |
vessel has ever been detected in it, though |
undoubtedly it Is just here and nowhere
else, In the center Of this cord, made up
Of gristle and skin and for about an inch
on either side, that there are vessels and
nerves communicating from one to the
other. Here, but nowhere else, a touch
on the space indicated is felt by both.
Precisely here, and here alone In the
band uniting them, there is sensation aud
nothing else whatever common to both.
If they are inclined to sleep, eat, ETC.,
and perform the functions of life with
great simllarity and agree always in their
tastes and habits, we must recoIlect that
their surroundings, position, ETC., have
all been precisely alike. People forget,
too, that one Of them is irritable, the
other very mild; one OF them Is the
larger, stronger, and the more intelli-
gent, and be controls the other. His
slightest movement Is followed by the
weaker one from necessity, and not, az is
generally supposed, from unity OF will or
haEmonious action. They play games,
one against the other, aRd have quar-
relied just like other good brethren, and