Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-01-29

was GuOul HOW III lCiiSeii, t"O iiSiNS
broad, and four thick, and through it
run large artery and many veins,
making their circulation identical.
Their breathing, too, WAS simultaneous
when they were asleep. They We're
not SO entire one, however, but that
each had an entirely separate existence.
Their senses were totally disconnected.
One could not feel a hurt inflicted on
the other, the ligature eng the only
part lii which they were sensitive in
common Much scientific discussion
arose concerning them, mainly bear
ing upon the question OF possible sep
GRAFTON. They travelled with Barnum
for five. gears, and it is believed that
they saved $40 900 each in that time
Chang was larger than Eng, and
looked several years younger. He was
too, the mental superior OF his brother.
although both were ignorant, and had
intelligence that scarcely rose above
low cunning. Their faces were pecu
liar, repelling and yellow IN hne, and
Chang was the most robust and so ID
natured, Eng was often sick, and al
ways morose and peevish. They had
a sleeping room III Barnum's museum,
as did the other curosities, and one
night rumpus was heard i'll it. On
breaking open the door the twins We're
found fighting. Eng was on the floor,
underneath Chang. who choking him.
Although Chang and Eng were rich
they did not live happily. Mrs. Chang
had the first child, and it was a deaf
mute. The families increased rapidly,
until Chang had six children and Eng
five. Of these children four never
heard nor spoke, although in all other
respects all were strong and not de-
formed. Eight are living, the Oldest;
a daughter of seventeen, having lately
been married to the lessee of a neigh
boring plantation in North Carolina.
About eight years ago Chang became
converted in a religious revival and
Eng also embracing the belief, they
joined the Baptist Church. They Were
regular in their attendance thereafter
and retained their standing as good
christians Their tempers, however,
were not improved by the spiritual
change, and before the enamel patton,
their slaves were the most whipped Of
any in the region. The cause of their
moroseness ashley grew older is be
licvcd to have been the probability Of
the fatal effect Of ones death upon the
other. The idea Of separating them by
surgical operation had been often
preached, but physicians had generally
agreed that it would kill them There
fore each was haunted with dread OF
being left bound to his dead brother,
with almost certainty of dying under
any attempt to sever him from the
corpse. While in Paris and London,
they consulted the most emninent sur
geons. One experiment, however,
dashed all hope of separte existence.
The ligature was compressed until ali
circulation between them was stopped.
Eng soon tainted, and a removal of the
compress was necessary to prevent
death This proved that neither could
sustain separate circulation Of the
blood, and to have cut the ligature
would have killed both. with this
knowledge, they returned to their
homes and lived as they had done be-
Tore. Later the health of Eng grew
worse, and Chang was frequently
obliged, although we'll himself, to keep
his bed with his sick brother.
THE MYSTERY OF THE SIANiETE TWINS.
Dr. Joseph Hollingsworth, of Mount
Airy, North Carolina, who made an
examination ofthe bodies Of the Siames
Twins at Greensboro in that State,
shortly after life was extinct, and who
arrived in Philadelphia last week and
held a consultation with DR. Pancoast,
at the latter's residence, Eleventh and
Walnut streets, gives the following i'll
teresting report:
Dr.. uollingsworth found the CORD
ian knot" or band which connected
them TO be an extension of the sternum
for about four inches in length and two
in breadth. The band was convex
above and in front and concave under
meath. The two bodies had but one
naval, which was in the center OF the
band and it is supposed there were two
umbilical cords branching from this,
one extending into each body.
The connecting link was found to be
the ensiform cartilage, and was as hard
as bone, and did not yield in the least
ct may be here mentioned that for
some time previous to their death no
motions were observable in the band.)
The doctor said he did not think they
would have survived separation, not
from the fact Of being afraid of separa.
ting the arteries, but from fear of pro
ducing peritonitis. No hemorrhage
would have been produced, SO far as
could be seen, as there were no arterial
connections OF any account.
There not being any means Of
embalming the bodies, the following
method was taken, after much persua
sion by the respective families, Of keep
ing them from temporary decay: A
box of tin was made and the bodies de-
posted therein, and the coffin was her.
neticaIly sealed. This was placed in a
wooden box, and third box nNeloped
the whole. This casket was deposited
in the basement of a dwelling in the
vicinity, and covered with powdered
charcoal to the depth Of about two feet.
The S1AMEsE TWINS -A dispatch
from Greensboro, N. G. announces that
the family of the Siamese twins have
positively refused to allow any post
mortem examination. 1t appears there
in provision in the wills of the twins
against the severance of their bodies
were given to an eamblmer, and unless
something was doue when he had them
in char0e the exact character of their