The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-13
THE SIAMESE TWINS.
Appearance of the Bodies After
EmbaImment
PLASTER CASTS TAKEN.
Mystery Of the Umbilical
Connection.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 81 A. M.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb 49, A. N.
The exterior and interior cases ia which the
Samese Twins have been enclosed since their
death, with all the charcoal In which they were
packed during their freghtage from the South to
the North have been entirely removed. and
the bodies now lie Ia their em6slmed
state upon . large table in the College OF Pnysi-
clans AID Surgeons. Across the face OF each OF the
twain there reposes large sponge saturated with
chemical liquids. OF which am somewhat ignorant,
but In which carbolic acid seems TO be the basis.
THE CONNECTING LINK,
that peculiar band OF flesh which, in life and
death, unite the two seemingly into one INSOFAR.
able union, was. until twelve O'Clock to-day,
covered with q piece Of white drapery, while all
che other sections Of the bodies, save the
face, remained entirely naked About the
room stood barrels of plaster OF Paris
along with the idle tools OF those who had
been preparing the casts The body OF Chang,
who was the first to expire. was pervaded with a
dark and unnatural blush tint, the characteristics
Of the individual being apparent in death as they
were during life. The preservation OF Eng, how
ever was perfect. his face. bust ana limbs being
perfectly natural and having undergone applr-
ent shrinkage since his demise. Not the slightest
odor, however proceeded from either OF the bodies
which proves conciusivey that the embalmment
mas been as perfect as human science could render
1t. Upon table near by reposed the
PLASTER OF PARIS CASTS,
as far as they were completed. The bodies are
not reproduced in plaster In toto, but
formed to the original by means Of separate and
distinct parts. The FIRST cast was made OF the
head and q portion Of the shoulders, which, for
the sake OF classification, may be irregu-
larry denominated as the bust. The last touch
Of the artists knife has PLAYED Its part and the
ron tinn Otf haoA hol,O ,oIa
and perfect. The cast or the bodies from the arm
pits down to the upper extremities OF the legs was
incomplete until twelve O'Clock to-day while
there was no evidence in the surroundings that
the connecting link had been cast at all. In the
legs Of each, just above the knees slight punctures
appeared, which showed that no small amount Of
the injecting nuid had been dinused. There was q
syringe lying near, which seemed to indicate that
the mud had been injected at no remote date.
CHANG WAS sHRIvELLED AND BLUE,
while Eng was as natural as at any period during
life. The sponges concealed the races and the con-
Meeting link was yelled, but otherwise the corpses
were exposed.
Upon raising the drapery covering the link
slight depression noticed exactly the centre
OF it, which many persons have assumed to be tine
common navel, as no other navel seems to be ap-
parent; but in case this depression in the CEN
ire Of the band were IN reality q common
umbllicus, 1t would necessarily indicate pertonal
connection, which, II true at once shows con-
cluslvely that their separation during lie weud
have been impossible, and OF course that the band
containing the navel must have also con-
tanned certain arteries interlacing the twins,
and containing vital fluids OF life. This
point at least seems to be firmly
dsettle-viz., the link is not mere
grstle, but contains within 1t channels through
which blood Moved from one to the other, other
wise the demise OF one body, heavily taxed and
diseased, could not have caused the death OF an
other body comparatively In perfect health. unless,
perchance, the latter expired from an ex-
sleep and finding the other dead. Until noon to-
day no knife had been applied; no Photographic
instruments were In the room, and the cast OF
the body proper was very incomplete, hence the
autopsy really cannot have vet been undertaken,
but will probably be commenced tomorrow.