The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-12-02
THE DOUBLE CHILD.

The Delaware Ohio Gazette giyes
fill description of the ''double child" Of,
which mentions have heretofore been
made in our columns:
Ten days ago, the wife of Samuel Fin
lay, q farmer residing in Morrow county,
about Eve miles southeast of Ashley,
gave birth to one Of the most singular
Inalformations of the human species ever
heard Of in any age or country. The
mother was not allowed a sight of her of
spring until after the physician who had
been summoned arrived, when it was ex-
hibited to her, and we are told, caused
her to swoon. And no wonder, for hu-
man eyes probably never looked upon
such an anomalous development in the
human FORM
One Of our prominent physicians, who
had seen and examined this strange
freak of nature, favors US with the fol-
lowing clear and acute description:
"This wonderful thing can truly be call.
ed double child. There is but one
spine, at each extremity Of which there is
IA perfectly formed head and face. Each
has we'll formed head and shoulders, arms
and hands, and good chest, containing
lungs and heart, as any other human be-
ling. Each has also stomach and liver.
There is but one navel which is in the
centre of the abdomen, equidistant from
the two heads. It is at the middle of the
body that the two are grown together
The abdomen appears to be but one, and
the organs contained in it below the stom-
/ ach and small intestines are probably
common to the two, as there is but one
external outlet.
Upon one side, at right angles to the
body there is well formed pair Of hips,
legs and feet. Upon the opposite side
there is one large leg possibly the consol-
idation of two legs.) upon the extremity
of which there are eight toes. Most
monstrosities are repugnant to look upon.
This is not so in auy respect except
ing this leg.
s.This child, or those children, are now
ten days old, and arc doing as well as most
children do at that period ofexistance.-
It nurses with both heads. One will
sleep while the other is crying, and both
will sleep, or cry at the same time. The
natural outlets from the body are in the
natural position, between the perfect pair
of legs, aud are common to the two,
their being no outlet on the opposite side.
In sex it is female. The length from
the top of one head to the top Of the 9TH
er is twenty inches, and the weight at
birth was ten mounds"
There are no terms In onr language
Applicable to such phenomenon. 1t is
something for which the dictionary max
ers have made no provision whatever,
and which utterly confounds the grammat-
ical rules as to gender, number and per-
son. Let any one undertake to write about
it, being precise as to the meaning and
application of terms, and he will at once
recognize the poverty of language.
As might be expected, the house Of Mr.
Finlay has, during the pas. ten days been
overrun with visitors come to witness
this great curiosity. So great is the press
that it has been necessary to charge an
admission fee, which is now fixed at one
dollar. We understand that the parents
have been offered $40, 900 for the dual In
fant, tho offer being unconditional as to
whether it should live or not. The offer
has not been, and probably will not be
accepted.