The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1874-03-11
The Dead Twins.

The examination of the remains of
Chang and Eng, which has been pro-
ceeding very quietly in Philadelphia at
the college of physicians, has been here
tofore confined to taking casts of the
different important and curious forma-
tions of various parts of the bodies,
photographing the remains, and daily
injections of chloride of zinc, to pre-
vent the bodies from decomposing.
Yesterday the autopsy commenced.
The dreaded scalpel was first used on
the connecting band between the two
brothers. The abdominal cavities were
entered for the purpose of examining
the viscera. This investigation was at
tended with most gratifying success,
and the physicians we've rewarded in
their efforts in finding that the lungs,
heart, pancreas, liver, spleen, and ali
mentary canal were excellently devel-
oped in each, and that all the parts
above-named resembled those of ordi-
nary mortal9,
Approaching the band, the lower por-
ton of the ensiform cartilage, or breast
bone, in each joins by doubling or
bending out, making almost a long
union with a distinct joint at the cen
tral point of union on which the bodies
hinge freely. This joint is somewhat
similar to, but not so complicated, as
that at the elbow. The band at the
smaller part has a circumference of nine
inches, and when the link was stretched,
and the twins were stood as far apart as
possible, there was space of eight
inches intervening. Yesterday the skin
of each body was cut through poster
iorly, and thrown back from the band
and adjacent structures, exposing super.
fetal and deep facia or. fatty tissues in
the rectus muscle of each. The great
question of whether they could have
beel separated in life was settled in the
negative by various abdominal sections
which were made. The peritoneum or
membraneous lining of the belly in
each was founl to enter the band, and
four pouches or cuIs-d de- sac overlapped
each other at the centre of the band.
The most marked feature here was the
presence Of two such pouches from the
body of the larger brother, Chang, the
upper one shorter than the lower, but
each tapping one from above and the
other from below the single pouch of
Eng. An almost exact idea of the ar
rangement of these culs, de, sac may be
obtained by holding the first joint of
the forefnger between the thumb and
finger of the other hand. The astound-
ng and curious fact was developed that
line passing down the centre of the
baud would sever all three of these pro-
longations and open the peritonital ca
witty of each liver. If the knife had
been used in life, death would have
therefore most probably, if not neces-
sarily, resulted.
The examination yesterday and last
night also showed that there was por-
tai or liner circulation through the heart,
as was seen from the passage of the in.
iecting matter used in embalming. The
abdominal organs lie. in close contact
with these pouches, but are not contin.
nous into them.
To-Day most important investigations
take place by making deep sections into
the band, with the view of ascertaining
the umbilic connections, bearing or
physiological manifestations in the fsta'
life of beings. - Philadelphia 4eLe
graph, Feb. 17th.