Year: 1874

Organizations.


PHILADELPHIA.- The scalpel was
flrst used on the connecting band be-
tween the Siamese twins this MORN
lug, the work on the previous days be-
ing confined to taking casts, photo
graphing, embalming, and examin-
ing the vicera, which were found not
to differ from those of ordinary beings,
the heart, liver, spleen, and digestive
canal being well developed ia each,
approaching the band, the lower por-
ton of the ensiform cartilage of the
breast bone in each joins by dOub-
ling or bending out. making almost
long union with a distant Joint at the
central point of nnion on which the
bodies hinge freely. This Joint is SIM
liar to. but not so complicated as that
of the elbow. The circumference of
the band at the smallest part is nine
inches. and the chins of the twins,
when as FAR apart as possible, are eight
inches from each other. To-day the
skin of each body was cut through
posterlOrly, and thrown back from the
band and adjacent structures, expos
ing the rectus muscle of each. Alb
domlnal sections were made, and the
question whether severance could
have been made safely in life settled in
the negative with almost certainty
The lining membranes of the abdo-
men in each were found to euter the
band and from pouches, overlapping
each ether at the centre of the band.


What was most peculiar here was
the presence Of two such pouches from
the body of Chang, the upper one
shorter than the lower, but each lap
ping, one from above and the other
from below, the single pouch of Eng.
Holding the first joint of the forefin-
ger between the thumb and finger of
the other hand. will give an exact idea
of the arrangement of these pouches,
\ line passing down the centre of the
band, would sever all three of the pro-
longatlOns and open the abdominal
cavity of each of the twins. If the
knife had been used in life death
would therefore probably, if not neces-
sarily, have resulted. The exarina-
ton also showed to-day and tonight
that there was a circulation through
the band as is seen from the passage of
the injecting matter used in emhalm-
ing. The abdominal organs lie close
in contact With these pouches, but are
not continuous into them.


The last point of interest to the pub
lie in relation tn the Samese Twins is
now apparently settled 1t is the
question which relates to their hearts,
toward the solution of which the med
zeal gentlemen are now slowly and te-
diOusly approaching. and which finds
no place i'll the official document.


THE HEARTS OF THE TWINS.


There is nothing remaining now to
investigate save the peculiar position
of the hearts. The livers of the twain.
were upon opposite sides and laid in
close connection. BY the natural law
of homologOus union the position of
the hearts are the same. Their apex
es incline toward each other, but un-
like the livers, they could never have
been one and the same, or, of course,
both would have died in the same
hour. The heart of Eng is upor the
right side, and the heart Of Chang is
upon the left; hence that of one of
strangely and abnormally placed
Fluid injected into the heart OF one
failed to find its way to the heart of
the other, as was the case when livers,
located near tie band of union, were
operated upon. This is the last fact
which establishes the individuality of
each. In life their sympathies, pas
siOns. emotions, inclinations and per-
sonal habits were decidedly and sadly
estranged, and this circumstance alone
without any keen anatomical scrutiny,
would have shown the individuality
of their heart aud brain. Two indi-
vlduals brought from different ex-
tremes of the world could have passed
through the numOer of years allotted
to twins with less disagreement and
conflict than these two incongruous,
unsympathetic children, forced con-
stantly to bear each others burdens
and complaints.


THE DEAD BODIES TO BE PUBLICLY Ex-


HIBITED.


There is 10 further use of Ienying
what has already been Indirectly him
ted at--namely, that from the time
the twins passed from under the knife
they became the common property of
The country and the world. When the
last curious scrutiny of science shall
boNC OSSh anu Nuen OfsG
scans no more the columns of the dali
ly papers to learn the mysterious Sc
crets of their union, the two, in public
halls and theatres, will be exposed to
view. and as the living jOurneyed from
place 10 place, so will the dead hither
and hither be freighted. The strict
and stringent contract with the family
made known through your columns
indicates this, and every stage of the
autopsy has been carried OH with such
intent. The sympathetic and some
what cultured disposition of the eld-
est daughter shudders and revOlts ut
this. and the voices Of their children
cry lo6dly out against it; but the wives
of the twain, urged on, it appears, by
few Individuals for the sake OF gain,
seem to be determined, and once again
81 a