The Washington times., 1922-03-30
y
GIRLS DIE
TOGETHER
As IN LIFE.
Refuse Operation to Part
Them-one Succumbs 3
Minutes After Other.
BY international New, Service.

BY international News service.
CHICAGO, March 30.-Josefa
and Rosa Black, the "Siarnese
twins" died early today. They
died as they were born and as they
had lived together No operation
was attempted to prevent tier
death.
Died In Few Minutes.
DIR. Ben. amin Breakstone. chief
surgeon of the hospital. said Josefa .
death occurred at 2:26 a. m. ard
Rcea's az 2:a2.
The end of one OF the strankest
cases known 10 medical science
came early this morning. At
2 o'clock DIR. Benjamin Breakstons
announced that he could no longer
feel the pulse of either and that
death was q matter of moments. he
also declared then that an operation,
,wlhtch had been Contemplated tp save
the life of ons should tfe oth1x ts.e. .
would be useiess,, as each twin was
beyond saving n !.
e Throughout yestefday and last
night Dr.. Breakstone and other
physicians had pleaded with Franz
Black, brother Of the twins. and
with Franz Black. tweive-year-old
son Of Rosa, TO permit the opera-
ton. Under the State law of Illinois
an operation may not be performed
without the consent Of relatives.
Both the brother and son refused to
agree to the operation.
Opposed Operation.
DIR. Breakstone believes that IL the
operation had been permitted he
might have saved the life of Rosa
Rosa, who was conscious most of
the time, also opposed the operation
and pleaded with physicians to allow
her to die.
IF Josefa dies, there IL nothing
for me to live for" Rosa said.
Josefa was kept alive for many
hours by artificial respiration. Rosa
gradually became weaker, and physi.
clans finally despaired of saving the
life of either.
. The twins became III about two
weeks ago, each suffering from
jaundice. They had about recovered
when relapse occurred and two
days ago their lives virtually were
departed of.
Born in Czecho- -Slovalxia forty.
three years ago, the twins had
travelled in Europe for many years.
Two years ago they came to the
United States. They had been ap-
pearing here in vaudeville for sew
eral weeks prior to their illness.
Were Joined at Hips.
The two were Joined together at
the hips by a structure OF bone and
tissue. Many noted surgeons had
examined them with the view to de.
termining the possibility of sepsrat.
ing them by a surgical operation.
The verdict always had been that
such an operation was likely to
cause the death OF one or both Of
them. ~
Although Joined together, physi'
clans said that each had q separate,
Individual body with only two or
three organs In common, Through
out their illness, II was noticed that,
although Ill with the same condition,
each manifested different physical
reactions, such as varied tempera-
ture. respirations, and pulse beats.
BY their work in vaudeville and
In museums, the twins had accumu'
lated fortune of considerable
amount. 1t is expected that the son
of Josefa and the brother Of the
two. will inherit this. although the
twins left no will. so far as has
been learned.
Rosa was married and was the
mother of the son. Little Is known
in this country concerning the mar
riage or the husband, who ia un-
derstood TO have died. The son is
a normal boy. physicians declare. He
was at the bedside when death came
and want sileutIy