The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-07-09
u SIAMEsE TWINS.
Surgical Examination by Sir James
simPson-Belief that Their separn-
ton wouid be Fatal 60 Both.

From the London Star.
Sir james Simpson, the Professor of.
medicine and midwifery in the University
Of Edinburg, has examined very minutely,
and from every point of scientific interest
these twins, and has delivered q lecture TO
the students of tho university class on
these and other recorded cases of united
twins, Of whom they are in many respects
the most remarkable on record. In this.
lecture, which he publishes In the British
Medical journal, he gives first their history
and description. Chang and Eng,
or, as they now sign themselves,
Chang and Eng Bunker, are how So years
of g They were two of several
children, the rest being naturally formed.
When infants they were attached face TO
face, but instructive efforts from the earliest
age have so far elongated the band as TO
enable them to adopt an imperfect literal
relation to each other. They are short
but wiry-looking men, Eng, the taller of
the two, being only five feet two and a half
inches, Chang ON inch shorter. They use
the outer legs more than the inner, by
standing, and these are the larger in cir
conference. There is no inversion of the
position of the heart and otLer organs, as
Prof Allen Thompson, of Glasgow has
shown to be the general law in relation TO
united twins. Neither Of the respirations
nor circulations of the two brothers are
synchronous. Examined in Edinburg by
DIR. Aitken, whom they were suffering from
influenza, thepulse Of one was "a beats 70 the
minute quicker than the other. Examined
this week in London by Sir Henry Thomp-
son and Mr.. Earnest Heart, there was less
difference, -four pulsations 10 the minute.
In their chemical as well rs their organic
functions, they are shown by Sir James
Simpson TO be two separate and distinct
individuals. They can walk, swim, and
run; they are keen sportsmen and good
shots; intelligent, well-informed, and good
men ofbusiness. They are naturally much
accustomed TO join in tho same CONVERSE
ton, but can each easily carry on n con-
versation with two different individuals.
They sometimes read separately, each TO
himself,-more often one aloud to the
other. Their minds, indeed, are more
duel than their bodies; the latter are united
together, but the former are not. Tho band
ofunioni Is formed partly by the extension of
the cartilages Of the breast-bone; it is four
inches and a half long and eight inches
and Il half in circumference. When the
twins havo.suffercd from blood diseases, MS
small pox, measles, ague, they have been
affected simultaneously. Nevertheless,
from experiments which Sir James Simp-
son has made with drugs, he concludes
that the vascular connection between the
two brothers is comparatively very small.
On the question Of the surgical separation
Of the Siamese Twins. "Chang and Eng.
say & Sir Jas. Simpson, 'have Themselves
no desire 10 be divided from each other,
but some Of their relatives and families
have become anxious hat they should be
separated, il IL were possible TO do so.-
The operation is certainly possible, and
would be attended with little, or indeed, no
difficulty; hut it would be so perilous in
its character that the twins would not, in
my opinion, DO justified in submitting to
it, or any surgeon be justified in perform
ing IT," He then enters into dctails-to
Justify this opinion. Chang and Eng arc
married 10 two sisters, the daughters of mn
American clergyman. Each brother
has nine children. The family of Eng
consists of six sons and three daHgh.
tiers; the family of Chang con.
ests of three sons and six daughters. TheiI
first children were born within three OF
four days of each ether; the others at irreg
ular intervals. Changes ninth child was
born three months ago.
Sir w. Ferguson has carefully examined
the twins, and, we understand, concurs in
the general opinion of surgeons that any
surgical operation would be most likely nj
tended with fatal consequence, not sC
much on account of any obstacle presented
by tho structure of the uniting band o
flesh rs the moral effect of disunion on thu
two brothers.