The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-02-27

+ d6O 0LCPuCA0 SOACSC ot
Columbia, Mo-, already famous as "the
Vassar Of the West" won even more
renown from the fact that it had in its
enrolment no less than IS pairs of
twins, and that they had formed
unique organization, named the 'Du-
pick club"
In st. Louis year or so ago the
press agent for pair of "Siamese
twins" who were appearing at a local
theater had the happy inspiration to
give "twin party to which all twins
were invited. Sixty-five pairs, rang
ing in age from two months to forty
five years, were on hand with the re-
suit Of an interesting group photo
graph-and much good publicity for
the "Siamese twins" In New York
city twin daughters Of lawyer at
tended the Fordham law school to-
gether, were graduated : together,
passed the state examinations togeth-
er, were admitted to the bar together
and the news photographers rushed to
picture them togetherl Among the
most publicized candidates for admis-
sion to West Point in recent years
were the seventeen-year-old twin sons
of Pennsylvania soldier, killed near
Chateau Thierry during the World
war. When President Hoover .nomi-
mated them for admission to the Unit
ed States Military academy, news sto-
les (and news picture, of course),
recorded the fact that "their appoint
ment Is believed to be the first desig-
nation of twins ever SO made"
But are twins such rarity after
all? Science gives an answer which
you can interpret as you wish. 1t
says that of every 1000 babies born
there are ten pairs of twins. That's
2 per cent. If you want to base your
calculations on some of the much-pub-
licized "twins in schools" you will find
the percentage somewhat higher. A
California school a year or so ago
broadcast the fact that it had nine
sets Of twins in an enrolment of 300
that's per cent. Similarly Logan,
Iowa, reported IL pairs Of twins in
an enrolment of 275-a little over 8
per cent.
But whether you consider these fig
ures as evidence that twins are or are
not such rarities, the fact remains that
the study of twins has challenged the
attention Of scientists for many years,
and some definite results to explain
them have been accomplished, al
though the scientists are not entirely
In accord In all conclusions. Two
kinds of twins are generally recog-
nized-the ''fraternal" and the 'iden-
teal"
"Fraternal" twins are children born
at almost the same time, but the prod
uct Of two life cells. They may be
the same or opposite sexes, and fire.
quently bear no more resemblance to
one another than any brother and
sister. They are simply a biological
coincidence.
But in the case of identical" twins,
it is far different matter; for they.
are produced by the splitting of sin
gle life cell. They are invariably Of
the same sex and, furthermore, resem-
BILE each other amazingly, not only
facially, in coloring and other phys
ical details. but in mental processes,
emotional reactions and in other sub
tie ways. They are literally two
halves Of single personality.
Instances of remarkable resem-
blances between twins usually refer to
the identical" type, although it is gem
orally conceded that there was no safe
criterion for distinguishing between
the identical" and the "fraternal I'M
til a Japanese scientist, Taku Komai
of the Imperial university at Kyoto,
Japan, announced his discovery of a
method. OF it he says:
an the course of study on my collec-
ton Of fingerprints and hand and sole
prints of some twins. have come to
realize that, generally speaking, the
same hands or feet of the identical
twins resemble each other more close