Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-09
DIyORCE EXTRAORDINARY.

We understand that the Siamese twins,
Chang and Eng, contemplate visit 10 Paris
for the purpose of having the operation Of
their physical separation performed.
Many years ago, when this proposition
was made to them, the assent of both could
not be gained to it. One of the brothers
was in favor of dissolution of the part
nership of flesh, but the other, inspired
metu morris, or, perhaps, moved with sub
lime idea of united destiny, or fihai afhli-
alton until "death should them sunder,"
stubbornly objected, and the laughing knife
of the surgeon, which had been sharpened
for the delectable operation, was forced 70
rust in retiracy, guiltless of blood from q
dual heart with a single life. These twins
haYs been before the public Tor about forty
year, having been brought to England
from Siam in 1927 or 1928, by Captain
Bunker, now resident of New York. On
visiting America, they determined to make
this land their home, and purchased a farm
in North Carolina, on which they settled
and have lived ever since, except when
they made an occasional tour. They mar
ried sisters, and each of them is now the
father of nine children. d .uL...-i..
The scruples Of the opposing brother to
a surgical operation have lately been over
come, il is stated, by considerations Of old
age and probable death Of either of them.
They are both now ffty-nine years old, de-
spite the ioVial remark of the larger, that
he had no way of accounting for the differ
ence in their size except upon the hypothe-
sis that he was some six months older than
his brother.
The questions that now present them
selves to their minds are, should one con-
tract disease will the other be necessarily
affected thereby? Should death ensue in
one, will il come "a a consequence TO the
other? .-.... ... .--..
The prevalent opinion among medical
men, and the popular impression abr cad
generally, is that while they support two
separate physical existences there is but
one set of sensations and mental condi-
tions in a word, that there is an entire
union of the life principle. But there are
some men of science who maintain the
contrary, and who have constantly mani
tested an itching desire to sunder the mys-
tical tie, that one or the other theory may
be proved false. 1t is to qualification Of
this desire that the Siamese twins have at
last consented, if report prove true. They
have agreed TO submit their bodies, per-
haps their lives, to an experiment which
finds spring in curiosity alone. The aP-
prentice who cut open the bellows to see
where the wind came from was not half so
morbidly affected as are those scientists
who desire to pry into the soul at the ex-
pense of life in search of that which sus-
tains life. What can it matter to the
Siamese twins whether they are insepara-
bly, joined or not A few years will prove it.
II disease or death in the one will iney-
| itably produce it in the other, then they
are psycbically one, and the knife OF the
| Partisan Doctor that ibcises the cord thai
binds them will be stained with life''
blood. IL the contrary prove true, then
they need have no fears from those sources
for they are separate existences, and disease
10 one will not necessarily affect the other
and their deaths need not be simultaneous
Under these circumstances, science can at
ford to wait few years for the gratiiica
ton of her curiosity; for the solution o
the problem will in the future be as com
plete as the dash of any French surgeon
| can now make it.. 30 .