Eng and Chang Bunker Eng and Chang Bunker, The Siamese Twins There is an extremely rare form of identical twins that occurs perhaps in one out of every 75,000 to 100,000 births or 1 in 200 deliveries of identical twins, that of conjoined twins. Conjoined twins originate from a single fertilized egg so they are always identical and same-sex twins. The developing embryo starts to split into identical twins within the first two weeks after conception but then stops before completion, leaving a partially separated egg which continues to mature into a conjoined fetus. The most famous set of conjoined twins were Chang and Eng, the men who originated the term "Siamese Twins". Eng and Chang were born in Siam (modern day Thailand) on May 11, 1811 to a Chinese father and half-Chinese, half-Malay mother. Thanks to their heritage, while growing up in Siam the boys were known as "The Chinese Twins". Despite the fact that their birth was initially believed to be an omen of the end of the world, they brought celebrity to their small village.

Their mother refused to allow doctors to attempt to separate the boys, fearing that to do so would result in the death of one or both. Instead she taught them to stretch the tissue that joined them so that they could stand side-by-side rather than always face-to-face. In 1824, Scottish merchant Robert Hunter discovered the twins by accident while they were swimming. He introduced himself and became a friend of their family. Later he asked the Siamese government for permission to take the boys to Europe, but his request was at first denied. In 1829 Hunter and his associate Captain Abel Coffin offered money to the boys' mother for permission to take them abroad, then tried again with the government; this time they succeeded. In April, 17 year-olds Chang and Eng left for Boston, excited to see the world. After a successful and profitable tour of the States, the group then sailed to England where they became quite popular. They were extensively examined by doctors and visited by royalty. Unfortunately, their next planned stop, France, did not receive them quite so well; they were denied entry by the French government. The rest of Europe, however, was not closed to them, so they toured extensively, continuing to pack venues.

In 1832 Chang and Eng broke off their arrangement with Captain Coffin (Mr. Hunter having sold his share of the rights to Coffin while they were in Europe) when they realized that he was taking the vast majority of the money received for their tours. This break led them to P. T. Barnum, with whom they toured until 1839, when they decided to quit the exhibition life and settle down. They chose Wilkesboro, North Carolina where they began the life of farmers. In 1839 they became United States citizens, but lacking last names they were simply listed as "Chang and Eng, Siamese Twins." In 1844 they decided to remedy that by petitioning to adopt the name Bunker, although it is not known for sure where this came from. Chang and Eng began to date Adelaide and Sarah Ann Yates, two of nine daughters of local farmer and part-time clergyman, David Yates. The townspeople disapproved, so Chang and Eng scheduled a separation surgery in Philadelphia.

Their fiancï¿½es found out and quickly stopped the proceeding, and in April, 1843, Chang was married to Adelaide and Eng to Sarah Ann in a double wedding. During the course of their marriages, Eng fathered six boys and five girls; Chang seven girls and three boys. All were normal except for a son and daughter of Chang's who were deaf mutes. In January, 1874, Chang Bunker died after a severe case of bronchitis, possibly from a cerebral clot. Eng died shortly thereafter. After their deaths it was determined they could have been successfully separated, a medical option that was never offered to Eng and Chang during their lives. Although Eng and Chang's fame helped coin the phrase 'Siamese Twins', they were not the first pair of conjoined twins recorded in medical annals as there were probably about 100 such pairs known by the time of their 1811 births, a fact which helped the King of Siam reverse an early death sentence on the brothers. In fact, conjoined twins were recorded as early as 945 in Armenia and the first pair of successfully separated twins took place in 1689 by German physician G.

Kï¿½nig. The birth of two connected babies can be extremely traumatic and approximately 40-60% of these births are delivered stillborn with 35% surviving just one day. The overall survival rate of conjoined twins is somewhere between 5-25% and historical records over the past 500 years detail about 600 surviving sets of conjoined twins with more than 70% of those surviving pairs resulting in female twins. While there are dozens of types of conjoined twins, doctors generally divide the types into the more common variations described in the below chart. All of these types can be more broadly categorized as displaying either equal and symmetrical forms or unequal and possible asymmetrical forms. Scientific Term Craniopagus Twins are joined at the cranium (the top of the head or skull). Occuring in just 2% of all conjoined twin cases, this is a very difficult type of twin to separate although advances in medicine have led to more than 35 successful separations. Two female craniopagus twins were successful separated in Lithuania in 1989, for example.

Thoraopagus The most common form of conjoined twins, occuring in between 35-40% of all cases. The twins share part of the chest wall, possibly including sharing the heart. Pygopagus Twins are likely positioned back-to-back and usually have a posterior connecton at the rump. Occurs in almost 20% of documented cases. Ischiopagus About 6% of all conjoined twins have this condition, with the twins joined by the coccyx (lowest part of the backbone) and the sacrum (backbone immediately above the coccyx). Omphalopagus Twins are united from the waist to the lower breastbone, probably accounting for about 34% of conjoined cases. Dicephalus One body with two separate heads and necks. Abigail and Brittany Hensel of the United States are an example of this very rare type of conjoined twin. The Tocci Brothers, Scottish Brothers and Ritta and Christina were also examples of this type of conjoined twin. Today, most pairs of conjoined twins are successfully identified during prenatal examinations.

Some types of conjoined twins are much easier to separate while other rare forms lead to complicated and costly procedures that can lead to difficult ethical and moral decisions of separation surgery, especially if the twins share internal organs (the case of Baby Jodie and Baby Mary in England this summer being a perfect example). The European case (their parents are from the Maltese island of Gozo) in which one baby was allowed to die during surgery brings back memories of conjoined sisters Angela and Amy Lakeberg of Indiana, who also shared just one heart when born. They were separated August 20, 1993 in a ceremony in which Amy was allowed to die. Tragically, Angela died less than a year later. According to the book 'Entwined Lives', there have been approximately 200 attempted surgical separations of conjoined twins, with 90% of these occurring after 1950. Three-quarters of the procedures since 1950 have resulted in one or both of the twins surviving. Several hospitals across the world specialize in these often difficult surgeries.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has performed more than a dozen successful separation surgeries since its first operation in 1957 (most recently performing one on 7-month-old twin girls on March 1, 2001), while physicians such as Dr. Rich Hampton of the Pediatric Surgical Associates in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, successful separated Keri and Kaci Archer in October, 1991. The Children's Hospital of Boston has operated on nine sets of conjoined twins (as of the mid 1990's, current numbers not available). There are organizations which can help parents of conjoined twins address some of the issues they will face during their pregnancies or while raising their children. Conjoined Twins International, based in Prescott, Arizona, was founded in 1987 by a grandfather of conjoined twins. The organization gives advice and support to a little more than half of the families of conjoined twins currently living in the United States. They can be reached via telephone at 520-445-2770 or via email .

First conjoined twins (siamese) | Guinness World Records Guinness World Records When 11 May 1811 Conjoined twins derive the name Siamese from the celebrated Chang and Eng ("Left" and "Right" in Thai) born at Meklong on 11 May 1811 of Chinese parents. They were joined by a cartilaginous band at the chest. Having taken on the name Bunker, they married (in April 1843) the Misses Sarah and Adelaide Yates of Wilkes County, North Carolina, USA, and fathered 10 and 12 children respectively. They died within three hours of each other on 17 January 1874, aged 62 years 251 days. Chang and Eng were discovered and toured as curiosities by the British merchant Robert Hunter. After their contract with Hunter expired, the twins took themselves on the road and, after a stop in North Carolina in 1839, decided to call the place home and adopt their American surname.

The 12.5-cm (5-in) band of skin and cartilage that connected the twins could easily be divided surgically today - their livers were fused, but each was fully formed and easily seperable - but was inconceivable at the time. Chang and Eng were not, of course, the first ever instance of conjoined twins. The earliest depiction of the condition dates back to a Neolithic statue found in Anatolia of two ample women joined at the hip. All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. (You will be need to register / login for access) Disability Studies, Temple U.: May 11: Chang and Eng Bunker (1811-1874) Disability Studies, Temple U. Cool stuff in the world of Disability Studies, Geography, and History. Based at Temple University in Philadelphia, with contributors from coast to coast. Check out our 'Notable Blogs' list below - your portal to the disability blog world.

Friday, May 11, 2007 May 11: Chang and Eng Bunker (1811-1874) Asian history, Southern history, disability history--how about all three? On this date in 1811 (by tradition), conjoined twins Chang and Eng were born in the province of Samutsongkram, Siam (now Thailand), to ethnic Chinese parents. The boys' bodies were connected at the chest, by a band of cartilage that joined their sternums; they had two livers, but the organs were fused. When they were teenagers, a British merchant hired them from their mother for a world tour. They parted ways with their managers, after a few years , and took control of their own exhibition schedule. Thus (unlike many human attractions of the day) they made a fortune. They returned to the exhibition circuit whenever they needed more money quickly. Their billing, " The Siamese Twins ," became a popular term for all conjoined twins. With their fortune, they bought a plantation (and slaves) in North Carolina, adopted the surname Bunker, and in 1843 married local sisters Adelaide and Sallie Yates.

Over the next twenty years, Chang and Adelaide had ten children together; Eng and Sallie had eleven or twelve children together (sources vary). Their children were often included in publicity photos such as the image above ; in part because they too were a "curiosity," in a time and place when Asian facial features were seldom seen, and in part because they were part of the men's display of "normality" and masculinity. Chang and Eng Bunker died a few hours apart in the winter of 1874, at the age of 63. The twins' tour routine included a medical examination in each town--in part as publicity, and in part to counter charges of fakery. So there's an extensive archival record of newspaper accounts and medical opinions on the men's bodies. There's also a small collection of their papers in the Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina...and a popular exhibit about Chang & Eng at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy NC (an unexpected juxtaposition, perhaps, but it's near the site of their homes, and they're buried in a churchyard nearby). Like many large Southern families, the descendants of the Bunkers now hold annual gatherings in Mount Airy.

In 1999, a bronze monument to "In-Jan" (as they're known) was dedicated near their birthplace in Thailand. And in 2001, a bridge in Surry County NC was named the Eng and Chang Bunker Memorial Bridge in their honor--because it is a "twin bridge." Image above: A well-known c1865 portrait of the Bunkers, seated between their wives; two boys (Patrick and Albert) are seated at their fathers' feet. The photo was taken by Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. For further reading: Bunker, Chang & Eng (from Tar Heel Junior Historian) | NCpedia Bunker, Chang & Eng (from Tar Heel Junior Historian) Copyright notice This article is from Tar Heel Junior Historian , published for the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association by the North Carolina Museum of History. Used by permission of the publisher. For personal use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other uses directly to the museum editorial staff . Average: 4.8 (8 votes) Surry County’s Original Siamese Twins By Dr.

Annette Ayers * Reprinted with permission from the Tar Heel Junior Historian, Fall 2008. Tar Heel Junior Historian Association, NC Museum of History Chang and Eng Bunker were born in 1811 in Siam, a country in Asia now known as Thailand. These twins were conjoined (born with their bodies joined together)—attached by a four-inch-wide band of flesh they eventually stretched to five inches so they could stand beside each other. Their names, Chang and Eng, meant left and right. They were given the label “original Siamese twins” because they were the first conjoined twins to be described in that way and the first conjoined twins ever seen by a lot of people. Siamese twins remain rare today; they must be identical and of the same gender, and only 30 percent are male. It is rare for conjoined twins to live to adulthood. Chang and Eng were unique because they lived to be more than sixty years old, and they are the only Siamese twins known to have married and had children. The twins’ father died when they were about eight years old.

Young Chang and Eng helped provide for their mother, brothers, and sisters by selling duck eggs in their village. (Throughout their lives, they would be known as successful businessmen.) When they were thirteen, a Scottish merchant named Robert Hunter noticed the unique twins and asked the king of Siam for permission to take them to Europe. The king refused because he did not like Hunter. Hunter and a friend, Captain Abel Coffin, offered the twins’ mother three thousand dollars. They paid her only five hundred dollars and would never return Chang and Eng to Siam as they promised to do. But since the king liked Coffin, he finally gave the man his permission to take the twins out of the country. The eighteen-year-old twins signed a contract with Coffin. This written contract has been passed down through the Bunker family and is preserved in Surry County today. In the United States and Europe, the twins went on display for curiosity seekers to view, in exchange for a fee. Chang and Eng toured with Coffin for three years but did not get a fair share of the profits. He paid them ten dollars a month plus expenses, then later fifty dollars a month. The tours usually earned one thousand dollars a month.

The twins were very intelligent and quickly learned to speak English, improved their education, and became more and more interested in the world. Chang and Eng never traveled as part of a circus but held many exhibitions in public buildings—giving lectures, performing acrobatic stunts, and demonstrating their physical strength. In 1832 the twins stopped touring with Coffin so they could make more money. They began to manage their own affairs and schedule their own tours throughout the United States and Canada. Everywhere they traveled, local doctors examined Chang and Eng. These examinations satisfied the doctors’ curiosity, proved the twins’ bodies were attached, and provided publicity for their shows. While touring in New York, the twins met and became friends with Dr. James Callaway from Wilkesboro. Callaway invited Chang and Eng to visit his home and go hunting and fishing. Tired and needing a vacation in 1839, the twins did just that. They liked the quiet and peaceful area, decided to purchase land nearby, and moved to Wilkes County , where they became naturalized American citizens on October 12, 1839. Naturalized citizens had to have a surname (last name), and Chang and Eng had never had one.

They chose the name of an American friend from New York: Bunker. As wealthy landowners, the Bunkers participated in local social events. They soon met Adelaide and Sarah Yates, daughters of a wealthy farmer. Chang fell in love with seventeen-year-old Adelaide, and they wanted to marry. Eighteen-year-old Sarah eventually agreed to marry Eng. The sisters’ parents and neighbors immediately objected. Chang and Eng traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to consult a surgeon about being separated. The surgeon refused, describing such surgery as too dangerous. The parents of Adelaide and Sarah finally agreed to the marriages, which took place April 13, 1843, at the Yates family home in Wilkes County. The two couples began their married lives in a house in the Trap Hill community. The twins prospered and moved to Surry County, where they came to own more than one thousand acres of land and twenty-eight enslaved people. They lived together in one house for nine years, but their wives began to quarrel. Starting in 1852, Sarah and Adelaide lived in separate houses. Chang and Eng agreed to reside in one house for three days, in which that brother made all the decisions without question.

They spent the next three days at the other twin’s house, where he made all the decisions. The Bunkers faithfully held to this arrangement the rest of their lives. The twins returned to touring between 1849 and 1870 to support their large families. Chang and Adelaide had ten children, and Eng and Sarah had eleven children. The twins met many important people, including President Andrew Johnson and Queen Victoria of England. Throughout their lives, Chang and Eng consulted various surgeons in America, England, and Scotland, to determine if they might be separated. All the surgeons agreed the risk was too great. Returning home from the 1870 tour, Chang suffered a stroke that left his right side partially paralyzed. As the brothers grew older, their health began to decline, they quarreled more often, and they demanded that the local doctor perform surgery to separate them. He refused. Even today, doctors are not sure Chang and Eng would have lived if separated. Chang died suddenly in January 1873, and Eng died several hours later. Their wives allowed surgeons in Philadelphia to autopsy the bodies. They discovered the twins had connected livers.

Chang suffered a blood clot to the brain, but doctors could not determine the cause of death for Eng. It may have been shock. Fearing someone would steal the bodies, the family buried the twins in the basement of Chang’s house, and later, in the front yard. When Adelaide died in 1917, the twins were reburied next to her at White Plains Baptist Church near Mount Airy. Sarah is buried at Eng’s farm, although her name is included on the church tombstone. Philadelphia’s Mutter Museum —which features medical rarities—has a display of Chang’s and Eng’s connected livers, castings of their joined torsos, and a special chair built for them. More than a thousand descendants of the Bunker twins live in Surry County , where the family hosts a yearly reunion, and numerous descendants live across the country. Dr. Annette Ayers is a part-time instructor at Surry Community College and an educational consultant. A member of the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association Advisory Board, she is a retired history teacher and served as the director of education and programs at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (2004–2007).

Additional resources: "Who was Chang-Eng Bunker?" Educational Resources for Students. State Archives of North Carolina. 2009. (accessed November 1, 2013). NC Digital Collections (Government & Heritage Library and NC State Archives) 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins - Health - Nigeria Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:33pm On Jul 23, 2014 9. Chang and Eng Bunker Chang and Eng Bunker were born in 1811 in Siam (now Thailand). Their livers were fused together and could have easily been separated with modern medicine, but since the operation was much more difficult in their time, the two remained conjoined. Like many conjoined twins, they toured the world as entertainers and made money as spectacles and medical wonders. Eventually, the two married sisters, settled in North Carolina, and had more than 20 children. 2 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:35pm On Jul 23, 2014 8.

Daisy and Violet Hilton The Hilton Sisters were born in 1908. Their 19-year-old mother worked in a bar and sold the twins to her boss, who toured them around the world. They gained recognition in Germany, the U.S. and Australia and tap danced in a Bob Hope act. They gained independence in 1931 and went into vaudeville, where they dubbed themselves the Hilton Sisters. After performing, marrying, and divorcing, they ended up in Florida, where they had a hamburger stand. The sisters ended up in North Carolina after a public appearance (their tour manager ditched them there), and ended up with a gig at a grocery store until they died in 1969. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:36pm On Jul 23, 2014 7. Lori and George Schappel Lori and George (originally named Dori) were born in 1961, conjoined at the head. They share 30 percent of their brain matter. They grew up in an institution in Pennsylvania, but were released in their 20s.

Under the stage name Reba Schappell (after Reba McEntire), George has performed internationally singing country music, has won an L.A. Music Award for Best New Country Artist, and sang a track for Hollywood film Stuck on You. Dori lives a quieter life, has a gig doing laundry at a hospital and works around George's music schedule. In 2006, George was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and declared a year later that he identifies as a male and permanently changed his name. The two are still living in Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:39pm On Jul 23, 2014 6. Donnie and Ronnie Galyon Donnie and Ronnie Gaylon currently hold the Guinness world record for the oldest living conjoined twins. They were born in Ohio in 1951 and are joined from the groin to the sternum, sharing all male organs. They were abandoned by their mother and raised by their father and stepmother.

They were toured around the US and Latin America, where they made enough money to support their family as side show acts for more than 30 years. They still make television appearances and live in Ohio. 3 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:41pm On Jul 23, 2014 5. Eliza and Mary Chalkhurst The Chalkhursts were one of the first documented cases of conjoined twins when they were born in England in 1100. Most illustrations depict the two joined at the hip, though some picture the two joined at the shoulder as well. Eliza and Mary lived until 1136, and left money and land to be distributed to the poor in their village. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:42pm On Jul 23, 2014 4. Millie and Christine McCoy Millie and Christine McCoy were born in 1851 to parents who were slaves in North Carolina.

They were sold to multiple showmen at a young age and traveled under the name "The Two-Headed Nightingale" until they were kidnapped by another showman and taken to the United Kingdom. There, the McCoy's kidnapper was forced to release the girls back to one of their original showmen since slavery had been outlawed in the UK. Millie and Christine were reunited with their mother and were raised to speak five languages, dance, and sing. They toured with the Barnum circus and made public appearances before retiring and living until they were 61. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:43pm On Jul 23, 2014 3. Krista and Tatiana Hogan Krista Hogan and Tatiana Hogan were born in 2006 in Vancouver, Canada. The two are joined at the head and share a thalamus, which connects their brainstems enabling the two to share brain signals, emotions, and thoughts. Research also confirmed that the two share visual cortex signals, so the two can actually experience what the other twin is seeing.

The two have had a series of health issues and associated surgeries, but are currently doing well and making occasional television appearances. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:44pm On Jul 23, 2014 2. Ladan and Laleh Bijani Ladan and Laleh Bijani were born in Iran in 1979 and were lost in the hospital after the doctor responsible for them fled for the United States during the Islamic Revolution. They were raised by Dr. Alireza Safaian, who the girls chose to stay with even when they were reconnected with their natural parents years later. Ladan and Laleh had very different personalities and often struggled on what they wanted to do with their lives. One wanted to go to law school, the other wanted to go to school for journalism; one was very outgoing and the other shy. Since they were children, they wanted to be separated, but since the two were joined at the head, most doctors refused to perform the surgery since it was so dangerous.

In 2002, the two met with a neurosurgeon from Singapore who had separated conjoined twins joined at the head before. He warned the two that the surgery was very risky, but Ladan and Laleh insisted. More than 28 surgeons and 100 hospital staff members performed the operation, but after complications following the separation and a large amount of blood loss, the two died hours later. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by KillerBeauty (f): 3:46pm On Jul 23, 2014 1. Giacomo and Giovanni Battista The Tocci brothers were born in Italy in 1877. They were joined at the waist and shared an abdomen, pelvis, and legs. The brothers were given to the The Royal Academy of Medicine in Turin when they were a month old, and were toured, studied, and put on exhibition throughout the U.S. and Europe as the "Two-Headed Boy." The two were reportedly never able to coordinate their movements (one controlled the left leg, the other, the right leg), and were wheelchair bound for the rest of their lives.

They retired after 20 years of touring, married sisters, and lived in seclusion in Italy. 1 Like All i can say is "God is Great" see wonders o! 3 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by lomaxx : 4:24pm On Jul 23, 2014 Enypie: All i can say is "God is Great" see wonders o! You should be grateful for separation surgery. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by Qsscruz (m): 5:16pm On Jul 23, 2014 If people will keep the humane feeling that comes after reading these stories, then the world would definitely be a better place.. It's funny that after the first few minutes of reading such, the mortal sins continue.. The question i ask is, what happens when one of the twins dies? It's scary to imagine..

9 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by armadeo (m): 10:12pm On Jul 23, 2014 Qsscruz: If people will keep the humane feeling that comes after reading these stories, then the world would definitely be a better place.. It's funny that after the first few minutes of reading such, the mortal sins continue.. The question i ask is, what happens when one of the twins dies? It's scary to imagine.. That's the thought that hits me. Particularly those not joined by vital structures. Imagine it to the end dragging around a corpse attached ti the hip or head.

Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by faithugo64 (f): 8:26am On Jul 24, 2014 this life**shakes head***in everything we give thanks to God 3 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by Felvet (f): 9:51pm On Jul 24, 2014 Qsscruz: If people will keep the humane feeling that comes after reading these stories, then the world would definitely be a better place.. It's funny that after the first few minutes of reading such, the mortal sins continue.. The question i ask is, what happens when one of the twins dies? It's scary to imagine.. I had the same thought, very scary. [img] [/img] Mortality rates for twins who undergo separation vary, depending on their type of connection, and the organs they share. For example, twins joined at the sacrum at the base of the spine have a 68 percent chance of successful separation, whereas, in cases of twins with conjoined hearts at the ventricular (pumping chamber) level, there are no known survivors.

Although success rates have improved over the years, surgical separation is still rare. Since 1950, at least one twin has survived separation about 75 percent of the time. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by Nobody: 4:24am On Jul 25, 2014 Honestly this is scary. And is quite interesting looking at their happy faces . They achieved something,looked happy and fulfilled notwithstanding their condition. You that is normal and ok, WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED? 4 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by tranxo (m): 4:45am On Jul 25, 2014 softsparkyy: Honestly this is scary. And is quite interesting looking at their happy faces . They achieved something,looked happy and fulfilled notwithstanding their condition. You that is normal and ok, WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED? Good question. Thought-provoking too. Enypie: All i can say is "God is Great" see wonders o! do we praise God for this?is this a good thing? Why can't God separate these people?

Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by oppinionated (f): 6:20am On Jul 25, 2014 armadeo: That's the thought that hits me. Particularly those not joined by vital structures. Imagine it to the end dragging around a corpse attached ti the hip or head. When one twin dies, the other dies too. Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by 3ace (m): 7:00am On Jul 25, 2014 The most touching for me were the Ladan and Laleh Bijani's story. I would have said why not remain like that and live long but then, living attached to one another would have a living hell since they have different likes and aspirations. Hence, their decision to be separated whether they'll live or die. May they rest in peace-by the way, are/were there no famous Siamese twins in Africa?

6 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by Nobody: 7:13am On Jul 25, 2014 armadeo: That's the thought that hits me. Particularly those not joined by vital structures. Imagine it to the end dragging around a corpse attached ti the hip or head. or If one is seriously sick self. It is well 1 Like Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by simplynola (m): 7:30am On Jul 25, 2014 Most of the male twins got married. sometimes you wonder.. girls could be daring, curious and practical. Smtimes, they just don't give a damn 3 Likes Re: 10 Of The World's Most Famous Conjoined Twins by Nobody: 7:33am On Jul 25, 2014 softsparkyy: Honestly this is scary. And is quite interesting looking at their happy faces . They achieved something,looked happy and fulfilled notwithstanding their condition. You that is normal and ok, WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED?

Have u in my life, a big achievement Project MUSE - The Lives of Chang & Eng: Siam’s Twins in Nineteenth Century America by Joseph Andrew Orser (review) KEY WORDS Conjoined twins, Siamese twins, Chang & Eng, Race, Disability The Lives of Chang & Eng: Siam’s Twins in Nineteenth Century America. By Joseph Andrew Orser. (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2014. Pp. 272. Cloth, $28.00.) Although Chang and Eng have been the object of enduring fascination and the subject of numerous studies, Joseph Andrew Orser’s book offers a fresh and compelling look at the twins’ history and the changing social and cultural worlds they inhabited. Orser explores how the brothers struggled to construct “normal” lives vis-à-vis a society that positioned them as a “monstrosity” (13). His sensitive biography of the brothers is supplemented with a strong analysis of the ways that their lives intersected with evolving discourses of race, disability, and respectability in the nineteenth-century United States.

The result is a work that deftly manages to shed new light on the lives of Chang and Eng, and to illuminate the shifting social and cultural contexts that they both shaped and were shaped by. [End Page 414] Much was written about Chang and Eng in their lifetimes, but there are only a few sources that can properly be described as being in the twins’ own voices, and Orser is concomitantly judicious in his research and conclusions. In brief, their story begins in Siam, where the boys were born around 1811 to a family of mixed Chinese and Siamese descent. They were connected to each other at the sternum by a small ligature, and eventually came to the attention of Western traders in the region. The American sea captain Abel Coffin brought the twins to the United States in 1829, where they were introduced to the public as Chang and Eng, the Siamese Twins. Throughout the subsequent decade, the brothers toured incessantly and amassed a small fortune. They acclimated to American life, by, among other things, adopting the surname Bunker, and eventually settled down in North Carolina.

They married a pair of sisters, Adelaide and Sarah Ann Yates, and started families, eventually fathering at least twenty-one children between them. Chang and Eng became prosperous slaveholding farmers, but also returned to show business in the 1850s to supplement their income, and they toured intermittently until their deaths in 1874. Carefully chronicling their full history gives Orser the opportunity to correct misconceptions and examine suppositions about their lives. A typically strong passage investigates Chang and Eng’s 1843 marriages, which putatively provoked a violent reaction from locals. Orser finds no evidence of violence, and shows that the most vitriolic responses actually came from abolitionist papers in the North, who regarded the marriage as demonstration of how badly slavery had perverted the South. The acceptance that Chang and Eng found in Wilkes County as they became naturalized citizens, which was ostensibly limited to free white persons, and then married white women in a place where miscegenation was outlawed, owed itself to two interrelated factors. The first was that the twins managed to ingratiate themselves with the local elite.

The second rested on the fact that Chinese and other “Asiatics” were not yet fixed in an American racial imaginary fixated on a binary between black and white. Indeed, Orser notes that it was not until an 1860 tour of California that the twins were described as “yellow,” though it would not be the last time (165). Orser’s account of the twins’ early years in North Carolina at once corrects some seemingly sloppy scholarship and provides an insightful look at the social and racial dynamics that surrounded Chang and Eng as they made comfortable lives for themselves. None of this should suggest that Chang and Eng’s success came easy. [End Page 415] The twins were frequently ridiculed and attacked in the press on a variety of fronts, and endured endless prodding and speculation about their condition from the medical profession. Exploitative managers, unruly audiences, and unseemly commentary on their personal affairs were frequent sources of consternation. Chang and Eng responded to these challenges with a combination of assertiveness and wit that demonstrated their independence, intelligence, and essential respectability.

And while the twins clearly garnered a degree of acceptance and respect in their lifetimes, Orser’s chapter on their death and the appalling goings-on that followed showed that “the twins’ friends, acquaintances, and neighbors never viewed them as equals,” but as “something other, something alien, something that could be turned to a profit” (304). Machinations by the family doctor led to the bodies being shipped to Philadelphia against the families’ wishes for an autopsy, and the popular press was awash with demeaning and racist characterizations of the twins that effaced their claim to a respectable American identity. In Orser’s formulation, Chang and Eng’s lives were defined by “competing and complimenting tropes of monstrosity and humanity” (191). Even if the former prevailed during their lifetimes, this book ably reaffirms their essential humanity. Perhaps the most notable absence to this reader was the scant attention paid to the time Chang and Eng spent touring abroad, beyond an illuminating section about the twins’ reception in Great Britain. In the course of several trips across the Atlantic, it is mentioned in passing that the twins visited France, Germany, and even traveled as far as Russia.

Some material about how Chang and Eng were received in these other locales might have provided a useful contrast to the American context. One complaint that might be more properly addressed to the press is the dearth of quality images, particularly given the rich visual analysis that runs through the book. While there are ten illustrations, many more images are referenced in the text and those that are reproduced do not look particularly sharp. Still, these are but minor quibbles with what overall is an excellent piece of scholarship. Orser’s well-crafted and meticulously researched account of the lives of Chang and Eng makes a wide-ranging contribution to U.S. history, touching on everything from race and sectionalism to international relations and the politics of family and sexuality. As such, it will be of broad interest to antebellum social and cultural historians [End Page 416] and will likely stand as the definitive biography of Chang and Eng Bunker for years to come. Facts and Figures about Twins For more fabulous information: Facts about Multiples Twins and Multiples Statistics The number of births in twin deliveries rose 6 percent for 1997-98 to 110,670 births- the largest single year rise in several decades.

The number of Triplet Births climbed to 6919, a rise of 13 percent. Births in quadruplet deliveries increased from 510 to 627 between 1997 and 1998: the number of quintuplet and other higher order multiples was unchanged at 79. Since 1980 twin births have risen 62 perecent and other higher order muliptles births have jumped 470 percent. The Twin birth rate has risen 5 percent for the current year and the Triplet birth rate has risen 11 percent. Both Twin and Triplet birth rates have risen steadily since 1980, by 49 and 423 percent respectively, but the pace of the increase has quickened in the 1990's. There are now over 500,000 multiples 5 and under in the U.S..

Two related trends have been associated with the rise in multiple births, especially with the rise of higher order multiples; older age at childbearing (women in their thirties are more likely than younger women to have a multiple birth, even without the use of fertility therapy), and the more widespread use of fertility-enhancing therapies (fertility drugs and techniques such as in vitro fertilization). These therapies have been associated with the remarkable upswing in multiple births of the 1980's and 1990's. A recent study estimates that about 80 percent of triplet births in 1996 and 1997 were the result of fertility techniques. ***All Information is directly from National Vital Statistics Reports - Volume 48, Number 3 - from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention**** Triplet Facts Nearly 17 per cent of all-male triplets were born prematurely at less than 28 weeks. (A full-term pregnancy is 37 weeks.) If there were two males and one female in the triplets, less than 15 per cent were born before 28 weeks.

And if the triplets consisted of all females or only one male, about 14 per cent were born before 28 weeks. Kaminsky says researchers have proposed various explanations for the association between male gender and preterm birth. One possibility is differences in sex hormones. FUN FACTS A peasant named Kirilow was presented to the empress of Russia in 1853 for the following reason. He had been married twice. His first wife bore fifty seven children, including four sets of quadruplets, seven sets of triplets, and two sets of twins. His second wife gave birth to fifteen children-six sets of twins and one set of triplets. At the time of his presentation to the empress, all seventy two of Kirilow's children were still alive. Lots of Twins (Over 4 sets) Mrs. Mary Jonas (d. 1899) had 15 sets of boy/girl twins. A woman from Italy had 11 sets of fraternal twins in 11 years the last being in 1947 - not all of them survived. Marcella Mills-Bigcrow of Pine Ridge, South Dakota had 8 sets of twins, along with 8 single births.

All the babies survived, and were born between the 1940's and 1960's. The Tremblay's of Quebec, Canada had 6 sets of twins in 8 years. Raymonde (her twin died at birth), Ronald & Ronaldo, Jacques & Jacqueline, Jules & Julien, Francine & Francois, Christien & Christiane. Mrs. Barbara Zulu of South Africa had 6 sets of twins in 7 years (1967-73, 3 sets of girls, 3 mixed) The Lecus family had 6 sets of twins and 19 children in total: Edna and Edward on April 3 1886, Charles and Martha April 27 1887, Elizabeth and Irene July 15 1888, Louise and Esther on August 8 1892, Agnes and David on January 3 1899 (Agnes died at age 7), and Emma and Viola in 1902. All were born in the Illinois/Michigan/Wisconsin area. Another daughter, Evangeline, had quadruplets that died at birth.

Six sets of twins were born to Mrs. Harry Fifield of Connecticut. The Bockus family of Montreal had five sets, the last being born April 4 1845, a boy/girl set. Above Info came from: Nigeria holds the World Record in Multiple Births. more fun info about Nigeria: Nigeria has more Identical twins than Fraternal twins The tribe of birth determines the names of twins in Nigeria. Among the Hausas Northern tribe of Nigeria, the first is called Hassan, while the second is called Hussien. In the Yoruba tribe of Western Nigeria, they are called Taiwo and Kehinde. While in Mid-western of Nigeria (Edo State) It is Odion and Akhere. There is a general belief that Yam in our diet contributes to twinning and multiple birth. There are more triplets in Nigeria than quadruplets. The World's Oldest Twins Who Ever Lived The oldest twins ever documented are Eli Shadrack and John Meshak Phipps (USA) born on February 14, 1803 in Affington, Virginia.

Eli died on February 23, 1911 at the age of 108 years; his brother John died on December 10, 1916 at the age of 113. The chance of identical twins both reaching and surpassing the age of 100 is about 1:700,000,000 (one in 700 million). [ Editor's Note: Recent evidence has come to light subsequent to the publication of this edition of the Guinness Book of Records that throws this "Twin Claim" into serious doubt. More details later.] The World's Oldest Triplets Who Ever Lived The longest-lived triplets ever recorded were Faith, Hope, and Charity Cardwell (USA) who were born on May 18, 1899. Faith died first on October 2, 1994 age 95 years 137 days. The World's Oldest Living Triplets Marjory Skeaping (neé Scott), Sheila Botterill (neé Scott), and David Scott (UK) have been verified as the world's oldest living triplets.

They were born in Edinburgh, SCOTLAND on May 19, 1920. Curiously, their Uncle, Aunt, and their Mother's First Cousin also celebrate their birthdays on May 19th. The World's Oldest Living Quadruplets The oldest quadruplets were The Ottmans (GERMANY). Adolf, Ann-Marie, Emma, and Elisabeth were born on May 5, 1912. All four quads lived to the age of 79. In November 2000, there were 992 sets of quadruplets worldwide. Identical quads are quite rare - only about 20 sets worldwide.

Tallest Female Twins in The World** Heather & Heidi Burge - 6' 4 and 3/4 They were born in 1971, Palos Verdes, Calif - Tallest Male Twins in the World** Michael & James Lanier 7' 4 born in Troy Michigan Shortest Twins in the World** John & Greg Rice 2'10 - reside in West Palm Beach, Florida Longest time a twin has remain undiscovered** 7/97 - a fetus was discovered in the abdomen of a 16 year old - Hisham Ragab of Egypt. A swollen sac found pressing against his kydney turned out to be his 7 inch long, 4lb, 6oz identical twin Longest Lived Conjoined Twins** Chang & Eng Bunker from Siam (now Thailand). They were born 5/11/1811 and they passed away within 3 hours of each other at the age of 63 on 1/7/1874 Ronnie & Donnie Gaylon are the oldest living male conjoined twins. They are 47 years old and live in Ohio.

For 36 years they traveled in shows, carnivals and the circus. They retired in 1991. Heaviest Twins** Billy and Benny Crary - Hendersonville, NC They were normal in size until they were 6 years old. In 1978 Billy was 743 pounds and Benny was 723 pounds. Their waist measurement was 7 ft. Largest Multiple Birth** 1971 - Dr Gennaro Montanino from Rome-Italy, claimed to have removed 15 fetuses from the uterus of a 35yr old woman after 4 months of pregnancy. A fertility drug was responsible for these Quindecaplets. ***Above fun facts were referenced from the Guiness World Records 2000-Millennium Edition*** MOVIES WITH TWINS Ripperman -- with Timothy Bottoms & Mike Norris (1994) -- Bob & Ed Johnson Nell - starring Jody Foster The Prince and the Pauper The Dark Mirror What ever Happened to Baby Jane?

The Shining The Man in the Iron Mask The Parent Trap-remake World's oldest conjoined twins hit milestone, credit bed created by Grand Rapids team | MLive.com World's oldest conjoined twins hit milestone, credit bed created by Grand Rapids team comments World's oldest living conjoined twins Donnie and Ronnie Galyon Donnie and Ronnie Galyon, 62, are the world's oldest living conjoined twins. They live in Beavercreek, Ohio. GRAND RAPIDS, MI – As Ronnie and Donnie Galyon, America’s oldest living conjoined twins, prepare for a major milestone this weekend, they are giving thanks for a gift from Grand Rapids. That gift is a good night’s sleep - courtesy of a customized bed crafted by a team from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. The twins credit the bed with making a big improvement in their health and quality of life. “I sleep like a baby,” said Ronnie Galyon, as he and his brother, Donnie, sat facing each other in the bed in their home near Dayton, Ohio. The twins are throwing a party Saturday to mark a big moment.

That is the day they will surpass their heroes, Chang and Eng Bunker, the world’s most famous conjoined twins. Born in Thailand in 1811, the Bunkers are the ones who inspired the term “Siamese twins.” Related: As conjoined twins, 'You see the warmest of hearts and you see the coldest of hearts' The Bunkers lived 62 years, 8 months and 6 days. On July 5, the Galyons will reach 62 years, 8 months and 7 days. The bed they received in 2010 from Mary Free Bed is one of the reasons they made it this far, says their sister-in-law Mary Galyon. Matt Lefevre, a physical therapist who helped design the bed, was pleased to learn it has made such a difference for Ronnie and Donnie Galyon. It was a unique challenge. Ronnie and Donnie are joined at the waist, facing each other. They have four arms and legs and separate hearts and stomachs, but they share a lower digestive tract.

Lefevre and seat technician Michael Bolton aimed to create a bed that would be safe and comfortable for the twins at night and throughout the day, because they spend most of their time in it. “It’s great to hear it’s holding up and how much it’s helping them,” Lefevre said. From the age of 4, Ronnie and Donnie Galyon performed in carnival sideshows in the U.S. and circuses throughout Central and South America. They retired in 1991 at the age of 39 and bought a house in Beavercreek, Ohio. SEND A CARD Ronnie and Donnie Galyon would love to receive cards congratulating them on reaching the American record for longest living conjoined twins. Send a note to: Or email: worldsoldestconjoinedtwins@gmail.com In 2010, however, they were in poor health. Ronnie had suffered a viral infection that caused blood clots in his lungs, and the illness left them weak. Their youngest brother, Jim Galyon, wanted them to move in with him, but his home was not handicapped-accessible.

A family friend contacted the Christian Youth Corps, which led an effort to build an addition to Jim’s home to accommodate the twins. A new bed was a key part of that effort. For years, Ronnie and Donnie had slept in a queen-sized bed, taking turns lying on top of each other. But after Ronnie’s illness, that position felt suffocating. They adapted by sleeping on the floor, propped up by wedge-shaped cushions. After the Christian Youth Corps recruited Mary Free Bed to provide a bed, Lefevre and Bolton drove to the Galyons’ home to meet the twins and assess the situation. They returned later with a trailer and assembled the bed at the house. The bed is about 3 feet wide and is built with a steel frame strong enough to hold Ronnie and Donnie, who weigh more than 400 pounds. In the middle of the bed are two backrests that face each other. The twins sit with their legs splayed out, as they have all their lives. The backrests are offset a bit to match the configuration of the twins’ bodies. They also can be adjusted so each can choose to lean back a bit or sit up straighter.

AIMING FOR A WORLD RECORD Ronnie and Donnie Galyon are determined to set a world record for the longest living conjoined twins in history. When they will reach that moment is unclear. For years, the world record holders were believed to be Chang and Eng Bunker, twins born in 1811 in Thailand. The Bunkers, who inspired the term “Siamese twins” later settled in North Carolina, married sisters, and had a total of 22 children. On July 5, the Galyons will surpass the Bunkers by one day when they reach the age of 62 years, 8 months and 7 days. But Guinness World Records' online site now says the record is held by Giacomo and Giovanni Battista Tocci, who were born in northern Italy Oct. 4, 1877, and lived to be 63. Guinness says the date of the Toccis’ death is unknown, but they died in 1940. The Galyons turn 63 on Oct. 28. “If he’s a little bit sleepy, he can go to sleep before I do,” Ronnie said.

The mattress, made with five layers of memory foam, has held up well, Jim said. “Four years and not one bedsore,” he said. “That’s not just the bed – that’s the care they’re getting. But that’s huge.” The twins’ living area includes a kitchen, wide hallways and an extra-large bathroom and shower, so they can easily maneuver around. Above the bed is a hoist system that can be used if the twins have trouble getting out of bed. In the past four years, their health has improved greatly, Jim said. They used to need two people helping them get up from the bed and walk across the room. Now they regularly get up on their own, and they usually do 10 laps around the room a day. They also go on outings – they go fishing, to restaurants, baseball games and fairs, and they regularly go to a nearby campground with Jim and Mary. With a customized wheelchair, they make trips to a nearby convenience store. Asked what he thinks of the bed, Donnie said simply, “I like it.” Ronnie elaborated, explaining how he used to be cranky from lack of sleep.

“Now, every day, I wake up from this bed feeling relaxed and refreshed,” he said. “After having this bed here, I wake up every day and have a big smile on my face.” The bed is just one of several factors that made a difference for Ronnie and Donnie, Lefevre said. He admires the care they receive from Jim and Mary Galyon and the addition built by the Christian Youth Corps and many volunteers in the area. “I know Mike and myself feel lucky to be part of it. We still remember it,” he said. “We will remember it forever.” Sue Thoms covers health care for MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Email her at sthoms1@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter , Facebook or Google +. Detroit Auto Show The Origin of the Siamese Twins | Bangkok Nightlife The Origin of the Siamese Twins Bangkok Nightlife November 22, 2013 0 Comments The Exciting lives of Chang and Eng Bunker Have you ever wondered where the term ‘Siamese Twin’ comes from? Surprisingly many people associate it with Siamese cats instead of the land of Siam; we’re not sure why this is.

However, as the name suggests, this term was coined because the first famous set of conjoined twins came from the Kingdom of Siam, known now as Thailand. The story of their lives has its rumors, but what’s certain is behind the fascinations and speculations, were two brothers said to be respected and well liked by anyone who knew them. As one of the few celebrities known across the world- at the time-they were considered by some to be “the eighth wonder of the world”. From Rags to Riches Chang and Eng Bunker, we’ll get to the very non-Thai last name in a moment, were born to a peasant family in 1811. Although fused at their livers and sternum, the twins had independently working bodies. It is rumored that because of their uniqueness, locals were frightened of the twins and King Rama II of Siam had even ordered them to be killed. With a sudden change of heart, the King spared their lives after learning of other similar births in nearby locations which had no harmful effects to other people. Living on a small houseboat, the boys became accepted by the locals and learned to take part in all the other activities that children typically did back then.

At age 18, the boys were discovered by British merchant Robert Hunter and American Sea Captain Able Coffin. Together, the men proposed to the twins a world tour and promised fame and fortune. With permission from their mother, the boys eagerly accepted the deal and began travelling to the lands of unknown worlds to be curiously gawked upon. From New York to Paris to Berlin, they were seen by thousands of people waiting in long lines for autographs, photos and handshakes. Although they were offered large sums of money to participate in the popular road side carnivals and ‘freak shows’, they refused. Instead they opted for classy presentations that depicted them as they really were; intelligent, kind and humorous. Each twin had their own personality that would lighten up any room. As they perfected their English, took on accent mimicking and trained for acrobatic performances, Chang and Eng became legends and loved around the world. Settling Down as US Citizens Chang and Eng were generously compensated throughout their worldly travels and during a trip to North Carolina, they decided to give up touring and go into business for themselves. They settled down onto a massive plot of land and became US citizens.

The boys were determined to live a decent life as Americans and so adopted Bunker as their last name. They went on to build a large plantation home and even had slaves, as was the norm in those times. By 1843, these one of a kind Siamese Twins each fell in love with two sisters, who were not twins; Chang to Adelaide Yates and Eng to Sarah Anne Yates. Although by all standards, this was a very unconventional marriage, the two couples are believed to have been very satisfied and produced a total of 21 children between them. With a household full of children, the sisters began to quarrel, eventually deciding that living in separate homes would be a better option. Nestled on the same land, the brothers split their time between their wives and children through an alternating 3 day schedule. After the Civil War, the Bunker brothers became very bitter towards the American government due to a partial loss of their land. They had lost most of their money and the state’s economy was in turmoil. At age 54, they were determined to regain their wealth and so turned to more road show exhibitions; although it is unclear as to how successful they were.

The End of Days In 1870, Chang suffered from a stroke which stopped them from touring. They sought out the help of a doctor which had to promise to surgically cut the twins free, should one die. For four more years, Chang suffered from physical and mental aliments as a result of the stroke. In the early morning hours in February, 1874, Chang died in his sleep. Awoken by physical pain, Eng realized his brother had passed away and had his wife contact the doctor to perform the surgery. Unfortunately, Eng passed away before the doctor had time to reach him. Immediately following their deaths, rumors spread through the town that their bodies would be sold on the black market for medical examination and experimentation. Learning about this, Christopher and Stephen Bunker, sons of the Siamese twins, took their father’s bodies and put them into a single coffin. They were placed in the cellar of Eng’s house for up to a year before they were buried under a tree in front of Chang’s house. In 1917, the coffin was moved to the White Plains Baptist Church where it still remains and their livers was preserved and put on display at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

And there you have it, the Story of the Siamese Twins. by Daniella

Question: Born in 1811, Chang and Eng were officially the world's first what?
Answer: SIAMESE TWINS