Anomalies and Curiosities of MedicineGould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Science
Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine
Gould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Abnormalities, Human; Medicine -- Anecdotes
The latest record we have of this type of monstrosity is that given by
Tynberg to the County Medical Society of New York, May 27, 1895. The
mother was present with the remarkable twins in her arms, crying at the
top of their voices. These two children were born at midnight on April
15th. Tynberg remarked that he believed them to be distinct and
separate children, and not dependent on a common arterial system; he
also expressed his intention of separating them, but did not believe
the operation could be performed with safety before another year.
Jacobi describes in full Tynberg's instance of pygopagus. He says the
confinement was easy; the head of one was born first, soon followed by
the feet and the rest of the twins. The placenta was single and the
cord consisted of two branches. The twins were united below the third
sacral vertebrae in such a manner that they could lie alongside of each
other. They were females, and had two vaginae, two urethrae four labia
minora, and two labia majora, one anus, but a double rectum divided by
a septum. They micturated independently but defecated simultaneously.
They virtually lived separate lives, as one might be asleep while the
other cried, etc.
CLASS V.--While instances of ischiopagi are quite numerous, few have
attained any age, and, necessarily, little notoriety. Pare speaks of
twins united at the pelves, who were born in Paris July 20, 1570. They
were baptized, and named Louis and Louise. Their parents were well
known in the rue des Gravelliers. According to Bateman, and also Rueff,
in the year 1552 there were born, not far from Oxford, female twins,
who, from the description given, were doubtless of the ischiopagus
type. They seldom wept, and one was of a cheerful disposition, while
the other was heavy and drowsy, sleeping continually. They only lived a
short time, one expiring a day before the other. Licetus speaks of Mrs.
John Waterman, a resident of Fishertown, near Salisbury, England, who
gave birth to a double female monster on October 26, 1664, which
evidently from the description was joined by the ischii. It did not
nurse, but took food by both the mouths; all its actions were done in
concert; it was possessed of one set of genitourinary organs; it only
lived a short while. Many people in the region flocked to see the
wonderful child, whom Licetus called "Monstrum Anglicum." It is said
that at the same accouchement the birth of this monster was followed by
the birth of a well-formed female child, who survived.
Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire quotes a description of twins who were born in
France on October 7, 1838, symmetrically formed and united at their
ischii. One was christened Marie-Louise, and the other
Hortense-Honorine. Their avaricious parents took the children to Paris
for exhibition, the exposures of which soon sacrificed their lives. In
the year 1841 there was born in the island of Ceylon, of native
parents, a monstrous child that was soon brought to Columbo, where it
lived only two months.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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