The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1874-02-04
SKETCH on THE sIAMEsE TWINS.

ShEICH UF TIE SlAslFsSH W IN6.
The siamese twins. Eng and Chang.
who died last Saturday in North Carolina.
were born 1T u small village on the coast Of
Siam ii, the year lsll.s 'fLeir parents rot
their living by fishing, and until 1929.
when Eng and Chang we're brought TO tho
United States. they made their living by
selling sheilfsh. Their mother bore seyen-
teen children. AT obe time she gave birth
to three. and never less than two But none
tof these children were defvrmed The
twins we're nniiedatthe anterior purt of tile
chest by prOfoiigatiUh b j Hind of fesliy
band tue size OF the hand. This band Of
| fesh is about two inches broad and four
inches thick. The whole mass is tough,
and capable Of being considerably extend
ed. One could whisper in the ear Of ona
| Of them without the other hearing, while
Volatile salts applied TO the nostrils Of one
had no effect 90 the other; and while PIN
ching the arm Of one excited no sensation
in the ether still If you bat stick q pin in
the exact vertical ceiter Of this connecting
link botl, would finch from the hurt The
twins we're seldom Observed to converse
with each other. They played good game
of draugbts. made pretty much the same
moves, and at the same time. aud frequent
| ly played against each other. After at
traeting i vast amount of attention attrac
ting among scientists and PSYCHOLOGISTS IN
the old world, they married two sisters and
settled down near Salisbury. n. C;0n
well stocked plantation In addition,
ttey had. a, one period. ample funds in-
vested through their agent in New York.
During the war they continued toreside on
their plantation, ana lived in the same
Equiet and harmony is ever until some few
years afterwards. Ofcourse. no one eye,
thought Of drafting them aud their affairs
proSpefcd. The brothers probably never
would have had suy difficulty. bat tbat
their wives. though sfteis, turned away
Their hearts, aud children we're the causeof
this arrangement Up to tile period that
each had FIVE childron all psospered we'll
enough. but one Of them had a sixth. aid
this awoks envy and jealousy 10 sucl de-
gree that the twin sisters. not being bound
together Iikethe twin brothers, wvnid no
Elcnger IIve under the same roof. The
brothers we're. it seems. about Glty-fonr
years ofage but one we believe. the smaller
and feebler Of the two, looked. it Is said
ten Years older than the other. They
could turn either back to back or face to
face, but that is as far us the remarkable
bond that uuited them permitted. His
almost certain that should either die tho
other could not survive. even more than
afeg minutes. as there is IN artery as largo
as tie fensral arieiy that connects them.
A few years since they COZ sponded with
some Of the leading surgical operators ia
London AZ to The possibility Of the unl-
hilicus being cut, 50 that Ia case of tie
death Of one the lie Of the other might bd
saved AT the request Of the London sur
geon they visited that city, aud may ex-
;perinents were tried TO determine the
safety Of such an operation. Among other
things ligaturc WAS tied firmly for & (ew
minutes around tho connection between
ktheui 50 as 10 prevent the circulation Uf
blood through The artery. But il seemed
as il each would expire ifthis we're per-
sisted in. The smaller Of tl,e two tainted
away ami lost all e5nsc;oHsncss. and fhera
were symptoms that thessme eject would
follow to The other, Int tie process could
Enot be continued long enough without
epdangerihg the life of him wno was the
irst to faint. Since the bfoakiig out u
the late war the twins both dscssed in the
Confederate gray. and wese both meniters
Of tie same church. having united with
Fsmail Baptist church ii their nsighborhcod.
of which they we're considered very worthy
members. though born Sianc.e.