Anomalies and Curiosities of MedicineGould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Science
Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine
Gould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Abnormalities, Human; Medicine -- Anecdotes
Two sisters wonderful to behold, who have thus grown as one, That
naught their bodies can divide, no power beneath the sun. The town of
Szoenii gave them birth, hard by far-famed Komorn, Which noble fort may
all the arts of Turkish sultans scorn. Lucina, woman's gentle friend,
did Helen first receive; And Judith, when three hours had passed, her
mother's womb did leave. One urine passage serves for both;--one anus,
so they tell; The other parts their numbers keep, and serve their
owners well. Their parents poor did send them forth, the world to
travel through, That this great wonder of the age should not be hid
from view. The inner parts concealed do lie hid from our eyes, alas!
But all the body here you view erect in solid brass.
They were joined back to back in the lumbar region, and had all their
parts separate except the anus between the right thigh of Helen and the
left of Judith and a single vulva. Helen was the larger, better
looking, the more active, and the more intelligent. Judith at the age
of six became hemiplegic, and afterward was rather delicate and
depressed. They menstruated at sixteen and continued with regularity,
although one began before the other. They had a mutual affection, and
did all in their power to alleviate the circumstances of their sad
position. Judith died of cerebral and pulmonary affections, and Helen,
who previously enjoyed good health, soon after her sister's first
indisposition suddenly sank into a state of collapse, although
preserving her mental faculties, and expired almost immediately after
her sister. They had measles and small-pox simultaneously, but were
affected in different degree by the maladies. The emotions,
inclinations, and appetites were not simultaneous. Eccardus, in a very
interesting paper, discusses the physical, moral, and religious
questions in reference to these wonderful sisters, such as the
advisability of separation, the admissibility of matrimony, and,
finally, whether on the last day they would rise as joined in life, or
separated.
There is an account of two united females, similar in conjunction to
the "Hungarian sisters," who were born in Italy in 1700. They were
killed at the age of four months by an attempt of a surgeon to separate
them.
In 1856 there was reported to have been born in Texas, twins after the
manner of Helen and Judith, united back to back, who lived and attained
some age. They were said to have been of different natures and
dispositions, and inclined to quarrel very often.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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