Report of an autopsy on the bodies of Chang and Eng Bunker, commonly known as the Siamese twinsAllen, Harrison
History
Report of an autopsy on the bodies of Chang and Eng Bunker, commonly known as the Siamese twins
Allen, Harrison
Conjoined twins
Eng made no further mention of Chang other than to request that the body
be moved closer to him. Soon afterward Eng desired to have his limbs
moved. This desire continued for half an hour. He then asked for a
urinal, but did not void over a few drops of urine. He several times
repeated the endeavor to micturate, but without success. He then
complained of a choking sensation, and asked to be raised in bed. He had
continued rational. His last words were “May God have mercy on my soul!”
He gradually became fainter, fell into a syncopal state, and died
quietly a little over two hours from the announcement to him of the
death of his brother.
AUTOPSY.
The Autopsy was begun in the house of Eng, Sunday, February 1st, 1874,
and finished in the Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians, at
Philadelphia.
Age of subjects, 63 years. Examination made about fifteen days and eight
hours after death. The weather had been cold. No preservative had been
employed prior to the date of the autopsy.
I. Post-mortem Appearances.
The following is their description in Chang.
Body moderately emaciated. _Rigor mortis_ none. The fingers of the right
hand were semi-flexed, a condition due doubtless to the long-standing
paralysis of the right upper extremity. Passive congestion was marked
over entire dorsal aspect of the neck, trunk, and upper extremities. It
was less marked over the corresponding surfaces of the forearm and legs.
The feet and hands were almost entirely free. The superficial veins in
the last-named localities, especially in the left foot, were distended.
The passive congestion extended over the right thoracic region as far as
the median line, and on the front of both thighs, especially the right.
Upon the head the congestion was seen behind and beneath the ears, and
was sparsely distributed over both malar prominences. The lips were
discolored. The integument of the genitals was infiltrated, the scrotum
particularly being much swollen. There was extensive greenish
discoloration on the anterior abdominal wall. The left external
abdominal ring was enlarged. Both testicles were within the scrotum. The
hair of the head was gray. That on the right side of the pubis was
black, that on the left was of an iron-gray color.
The following is their description in Eng.
Body moderately well nourished, spare. _Rigor mortis_ slight. Passive
congestion less marked than in Chang. It was most conspicuous on the
buttocks and infraspinous spaces. There was none in front of the body.
The testicle of left side absent from scrotum. There was moderate
greenish discoloration of anterior wall of abdomen. The hair on the
pubis was black on the right side, pure gray on left side of the median
line.
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