New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-01
Chang and Eng.

The latest point of interest to the public
in relation to the Siamese Twins is now ap-
parently settled. 1t is the question which
relates to their hearts, toward the solution
of which the medical gentlemen are now
slowly and tediously approaching, and
which finds no place in the official dOcu-
ment. The report in the Herald of Thurs
day anticipated by just twenty-four hours
the Official statement of the physicians,
which made its first appearance to-day.
The peculiar abnOrmality of the livers, the
union of TIE two in total life, the strange
manner in which an injection forced within
the Znesanteric vein OF the one passed into
tie mesenteric vein of the other, the inte
rior structure OF the connecting link, the
evident reelection of the peritoneal
membrane, and the fact that there
existed between the two but a common
umbllcal cord, along with the nature of the
cartilaginous attachment from the sternum
of the one to the sternum of the other, were
all fully and accurately described in your
columns, and up to that time had not found
appearance elsewere. These were the sole
and only facts incorporated within the Off
ciaf report rendered to-day. but were
clothed in all the incomprehensible techni-
calities of the profession, which your cor
respondent stated at the time he was
obliged to pass by the board. The re-
mainder of the report was description OF
the trip to Mount Airy, which was pub
lished by you about month ago. There
were certain statements then made which
find no olace in the report-namely, the
circumstance of the one who died first
draining all the blood from the one who
died last, along WITH many other minute
particulars which were of the greatest in
terest to the public
There is Nothing remaining now to in
yestigate save the peculiar position of the
hearts The livers of the twain were upon
opposite sides and la in close connection.
By the natural lav o. hOmOlogOus union
the position of the hearts are the same.
Their apexes incline 5owards each other,
but. unlike the livers, they could never have
bee one and the same, or, of course. both
would have died in the same hour. The
heart of ing is upon the right side, and
the heart of chang is upon the left:
hence that of one is strangely and alb
normally placed. fluid injected into
tie heart of one failed to find its way
to the heart of the other, as was the
case when tie livers, located near the bond
of union, were operated upon. This is the
last tact which establishes the individuality
O. each. In life their sympathes, passions,
emotions, inclinatlOns and personal habits
were decidedly and sadly estranged, and
this circumstance alone, without any keen
anatomical scrutiny, would have shown the
individuality of their heart and brain. Two
individuals brought from different extremes
of the world could have passed through the
number Of years allotted to the twins with
less disa greement and conflict than these
two homogeneous. unsympathetlc children,
forced constantly to bear each others bur.
dem. and complaints.
There is no further use Of denying what
has already been indirectly limited at
namely, that from the time the twins passed
from under the knife they became the com.
mon property Of the country and the world.
When the last curious scrutiny OF science
shall have been satisfied, and when one
scans no more the columns Of the daily
papers to learn the mysterious secrets OF
their union. the two, in public halls and
theatres. will be exposed to view. and, as
the living journeyed from place to place. go
will the dead .Iither and thither be
freighted. The strict and stringent
contract with the family made known
through your columns indicates this, and
every stage of the autopsy has been carried
on with such intent. The sympathetic and
somewhat cultured disposition of the eldest
daughter shudders and revolts at this, and
the voices of their children cry loudly out
against it: but the wives OF the twain.
urged on, it appears, by few individuals
for the sake OF gain, seem to be determined.
and once again the Siamese Twins will ap.
pear to the world. not as living, breathing
souls-a strange freak of nature-but as
dull and stark cOrpses-cOrpses rendered
interesting only because of slow and
weary post mortem.-Netr York Herald.