Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-01
'S|A|MESE TWINS.
JOSEFA AND ROSA,
TAKEN BY DEATH
One Sister Follows Other
to Death in F ew Seconds
Although She Might Have
Lived

Lived
CHICAGO, March 30.-Josefa and
Rosa Black, the "Siamese twins,
died at a hospital here early this
morni Josefa's death occurre
first and was followed in a few sec
ohds ly the death of her sister. Phy-
sicians had declared early in the
night that in the event of the deatn
of one of the sisters the other Would
die quickly, as their brother, FRANK
Black, had refused to permit an op-
Grafton which would sever their
bodies.
The twins had been in the hospital
ten days. Josefa was i'll with yelloW
iaundice and that was folloWe: by
pneumonia. Shortly before her deaen
Rosa was afflicted with bronchitis.
Preparations had been made for
the severing operation and the pny
sicians were ready to make every Ell
fort to save the life of at least one
Of the women.
Operation Refused
Hone of saving the life OF Jo-
sefa was abandoned at midnight ac'
cording to DR.. B. H. Breakstone'
chief Of the surgical staff at the
hospital, -
brother to operate to save3 the lie
of Rosa but he refused to give his
permission, added the physician.
DR.. Breakstone explained that
delicate. operation would have been
necessary. Before their death ne
had expressed the opinion that the
physiological affinity OF the twins
was SO vital that if one should Gle
the other might also succumb before
the band of flesh and bone that
Joins them could be severed.
Although the twins possessed sep
arate, respiratory and cardiac sys-
tens. DIR. Breakstone explained they
had only one set of secondary discs
tive and provocative organs, Inc
operation, he said, would have neces-'
STATED the building up OF part
of the digestive and other essential
organs to save the life OF one twin.
Rosa was once married. her name,
being Rosa Black DVorak. she IS
survived by a normal eleVen-yeaf-
old boy. Her husband was cap
tain in the German army and was
killed in action in 1911. She was
married fifteen years ago. Josefa
never married.
The little son, Frantz, has been
at the bedside Of his mother, who'
until within the last few hours, was
less critically i'll than Josefa.
The twins were the second Off
snring of a. normal parentage in
Czecho- Sldyakia, AZ years ago.
rriI.a,,o x,yorn fo11v~ nftpIs children all
normal and all still living, The
father also is said TO be alive. his
age being IS years. The mother
died a year ago at the age OF 90
years.
Acquirc ! Wealth
During a tour Of the world the
They died without making a will, al,
though thier attorney, j. l.. Triska
has been at the hospital several days
in the hope that they would be in
condition to dictate the document.
AS the women grew weaker last
night physicians pleaded with the
brotl er to permit an operation, hos
pital attendants stated. He was the
only adult relative capable under the
Illinois law Of giving his consent,
mo" the brother was quoted as
having said mo, not even if Rosa
lives for hours after Josefa'i death,
there shall be no operation.
/ DR.. j. Otragovec, PERSONAL physi-
clan of the twins, appealed to the
brother without success. Their at
torney was asked to intervene, but
he declined to assume responsibility
Two hours past midnight DR..
Breakstone said there was no reed
o. prolonging the argument with the
brother. "a
''It is useless,'' he said. "The con-
dition of each is now the. same-the
condition that forecasts certain
death. An operation now would do
no good"
The two patients rave had a grad
ual decline, according to the chart
which hung III their sick room.
The figures on this chart showed
the following:
Tuesday, 6 p. M:
Tenn. Pulse. Res.
J sefa ...,........: 9S IS 20
Wednesday, 6 p. ms:
ftCSa :............. 101 100 SO
Joseta ............. 1922 100 SO
The physicians said the women re-
acted differently to the same medi-
cine, although thei, illness has beer
OF the same nature.
Other Twins
Medical records recalled by ply
slclans who have been interested in
the case disclose a number of so.
called Siamese twins. The original
Siamese twins, Chang and Eng.
| lived to the age Of sixty-four. They
married sisters and Chang had six
children and Eng five, all of them
normal. Eng died first and a sur
geon separated them. Chang died
soon after.
Twins that have attracted world.
wide fame. include the Hindu sisters,
who were Joined face to face, the con-
| nection being at the chest; the New
port twins, somewhat similar to the
| Hindu twins; the Orissa sisters, Rad
| dlca and Doddica, joined side to side;
the Blddenden maids. connected
shoulder to shoulder and with only
two arms; the Hungarian sisters,
Helen and Judith. Joined back to
back at the lower. segment of the
| spine. and the North Carolina Sis
tiers, Mile and Christine, joined as
were the Hungarian sisters; and the
| Bohemian twins, Rosetta and 10
sepha, connected in the same manner
as the twins who just died. Thei4'
connection was through the pelvis,
the right hip of one and the left of
the other being fused together.
Georgia Postmasters
Confirmed by Senate
WASHINGTON, March 30.-The