South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-08-18
Double People.

CONCERNING double people, twins
united in an abnormal manner at birth, the
authentic records are numerous, but few
examples must suffice. In 1701 united
twins were born at Szany, in Hungary;
they were christened by the names Of
Helen aud Judith, and were exhibited for
some years in the chief cities of Europe.
They were Joined together at the lower
part OF the back, the faces and bodies be-
ing half sideways or diagonal, neither
back to back nor side by SIDE. The two
girls were not equally strong, nor equally
well made; one had q more resOlute will
than the other, and settled all questions
as to whether to move, and whittier. Being
carefully educated, they read, recited and
sang well, conVersed in Hungarian, Ger
man, French and English, and afforded
much scope for study to psychologists;
for there was sufficient difference between
them in strength, temper, health and in
tellect, to give play to two sets of forces,
mental as well as bodily. 1t was observed,
however, that when one was i'll the other
became more or less affected with the same
complaint; and it was deemed probable
that their deaths would be nearly stimuli
taneous. This proved to be the case.
Judith was attacked with a complicated
ul5CdSC VI U4dAA dnQ IL 1a~ot anu
died. Helen, who, at the commencement
of her sisters malady was in good health,
soon sickened with her and the two died
almost at the same instant. They were
buried ina convent graveyard at Presburg,
and the particulars Of their remarkable
history found admission into the Philo-
sophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
The most extraordinary case of partial
doubleness on record, perhaps, was one
which was described by Everard Home
in letter to John Hunter, the great sur
geon; it was Hindoo double headed boy,
born near Burdwan, in Bengal; and the
degree of sympathy manifested between
the two heads was watched with much in
terest. The particulars are given in the
Philosophical Transactions. There was
another case of a man named Lazarus, or,
rather. double man named LaZarus-Jo-
hannes, very attractive to sight seers IN
Germany several years ago. There was
much of curious character in the degree
in which the feeding of Lazarus helped to
feed Johannes without any distinct par
tieipatiOn of the latter in the eat.
ing process. As the Johannes por-
ton of the duplex was less fully
developed than the Lazarus, some dis
cussion arose among the ecclesiastics as to
whether each half had soul to be saved
distinct from the other; it was decided in
the affirmative, and the two names of Laz-
arus and Johannes were given in baptism.
The men were alive at the age of twenty
eight, but we have no mention OF their
age at death. Many of our readers are,
no doubt familiar with the appearance OF
the Siamese twins, who were exhibited In
London in their youth, and again, short
- III Tho
twins are more completely two human
beings than any others we have here
spoken of; for the only physical or organ
lied band of connection between them is
at the two chests. When first exhibited
they were not exactly opposite to each
other, but stood side by side, or rather OBJ
liquely one by another; but this position,
there can be little doubt, was acquired by
the attempts which they had instinctively
made to separate from each other in walk
ing, or in lying and sitting down, and by
the extension they had thus effected IN
their band of union, which was consldera-
bly, more slender than in any other yet de-
scribed. 1t was quite impossible for them
to remain always face to face; therefore
their bodies acquired an Oblique direction,
in which thew also moved. The conse-
uuence of this was, that the right limbs OF
the one and the left of the other individu-
al were the principal organs ofmovement,
and that the intermediate limbs (that is to
say, the left of the one and the right of the
other) remained nearly passive. In organic
and animal relation of life, they seem to
be independent of each other. Each has
his own circulation of the blood, his own
respirative and digestive functions. The
curious, yellow-skinned couple were wont
to play at battledoor and shuttlecock with
each other: one had battledoor in his
right hand, the other had one in his left,
and very deity they tossed the feathered
messenger to and fro.-A1 the Year Round.
A LOUISVILLE physician, having been
presented with a live rattlesnake, con-
cluded to preserve it. He proceeded to
kill il bv first administering chloroform