The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-27
Death Of the Siamese Twins.
HIsa Of their Physician to Philadelphia
Qtdng Dies Of Pneumonia and Eng
Dtes Of NrigM- "Reminiscences Of Al


GtGng Dies Of Pneumonia and En-
DteS Of HfgM- "Reminiscences Of
Strange LIFE.
lBy Telegraph to the New York Tribune
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 23.-Dr. JOSEPH
HollingsWorth, a physician resident al
Mount Airy, Surrey county, about sixty
FIVE miles from Greensboro, N. G., and 9
graduate Of Jefferson College OF this city
In ls47, since practlcipg in and around
Mount Airy, arrived here this evening
from his home, in order 10 consult Dr.
William II. Pancoast, Demonstrator Of
Anatomy in his Alma Mater, Professor
Samuel Gross, and other eminent physi-
clans as to the death and future disposi-
ton oil the celebrated siamese twins
Chang and Eng, whose family physician
he has been for twenty-five years at their
home-or rather homes, for they had two,
three and five miles respectively from
Mount Airy. The correspondent oil the
Tribune had long talk with him 10 the
office Of DR.. Pancoast, who had, on the
first receipt Of the news Of the death oil
the twins, telegraphed, through the Mayor,
for permission TO make post mortem ex.
animation for the benefit OF science.
Many Of the current stories published In
newspapers and cyclopedias are shown to
be untrue by this physician, who has
known these two singular beings most in.
tlmately for a quarter oil century. OF
late years, owing originally 10 an en-
strsngement between the. wives, arising
out OF some Partially shown to one over
tho other In matters oil dress and jewelry,
they have keptup separate establishments,
or farms, two miles apart.
1t was their unvarying custom 10 spend
three days and hall oil each week In each
house. So unslterable was this custom
that the funeral Of a son on one occasion
and the wedding Of daughter on another
could not be attended by them because
The ceremony was not at the right house,
Thursday, Jan. Is, was the day Tor Chang
10 visit Eng's house. The former was the
weaker Of the two, having been paralyzed
three years before on the right side, and
ever since suffering from chronic pneu-
monia. On this night the extreme cold
The rough road, and an open carriage,
conduced to throwing Chang into severe
attack Of his affection oil the throat, and
be sent word to his wife next day, though
better, he thought he would have died
hat night On Friday night the twins
slept in the second story Of the house,
having no one in the room but little
negro, who said they got up alter mid
night and sat around the fire, Chang com.
planning very much oil his throat. Eng
wanted to go back to bed, but Chang said
It hurt his breast too much to lie down,
However, they did soon afterward 20 to
bed, and nothing more was heard till
toward daybreak. Eng was heard crying
out Tor his son William, who slept in an
upper room. When the family was
after repeated callings from Eng,
they found Chang dead, and Eng with the
cold preparation starting out from his
face, psllid, and complaining OF excessive
cold in his feet, and asking them to pull
and rub them. However, in about II
hours altErlthe alarm, Eng expired, all the
symptoms OF coming death being present.
During the interval they had sent for
DR.. HolliDgsworth, five miles away In the
village, but before he could arrive death
had come to both. The wife OF Eng said
that he was as hearty as ever he had been
The night before, having eaten substan-
Iial supper, and was in no wise appar-
emily affected by his brothers indisposi.
lion. After the doctor arrived he found
hem both dead and observed no differ.
ence in their condition from that of ordi-
nary corpses. He Qt once, with due re.
gard for the interests Of his profession and
science generally, took measures for the
preservation Of the bodies until the con. |
Ient Of the families Of the deceased could |
be obtained to postmortem examina.
ion, and until medical men could have an |
opportunity 10 consult. As to the consent
II the families the most strenuous objec.
lion comes from an invalid daughter In |
he last stages Of consumption, and other
desire to hear from distant sons
IF the deceased, one o! whom Is In Cali
Iornia and two or three In Missouri. The
doctor with great iorethought dissuaded |
hem from burying the bodies in aneigh.
boring church.yard and urged that II |
would be better 10 embalm or preserve
hem as long as possible. To do this he
lad strong wooden box incssed In tin,
With charcoal surrounding the bodies, and
deposited the whole In the cellar of the
Westinghouse, where the cold weather
will preserve the bodies at least two
weeks.
Eng and Chang were born in Siam in
1911. and left there in 1899. Alter at
racting marked attention in Europe they
'ettled down in North Carolina, about 20
miles from Salisbury, and kept store
'ew years, They then moved to near Mt
Airy, and have lived there as farmers 25
years. Owning large number OF slaves
they were wealthy, but since the war
have consequently become reduced 10
moderate circumstances. They had
light dialect showing foreign birth, but
could not talk their mother tongue, hsv-
ing forgotten 1t. They said to the Doctor
hat they had intended in 1861, but for
this unfortunate war" to visit their home
n Siam. They would work themselves,
)itentimes using the az and hoe.
Facts for the People.
As the virtues Of medicines can only be ascer.