Biographical sketch of Millie Christine, the Carolina Twin : $b Surnamed the Two-headed Nightingale and the Eighth Wonder of the World — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Biographical sketch of Millie Christine, the Carolina Twin : $b Surnamed the Two-headed Nightingale and the Eighth Wonder of the World
John Stuart Mill · en
and executes the schottische, polka or waltz with equal ease. Her
manners in the presence of strangers are most engaging. She does not
object to speak of herself or her own peculiarities, and her two minds
are always as one on these points. The two minds composed some verses
descriptive of herself, which the two voices repeated in unison, and,
although of no great literary merit, they are simple and expressive.
The verses are as follows:
’Tis not modest of one’s self to speak;
But, daily scanned from head to feet,
I freely talk of everything,
Sometimes to persons wondering.
Some persons say I must be two,
The doctors say this is not true;
Some cry out humbug till they see,
When they say--great mystery!
Two heads, four arms, four feet,
All in one perfect body meet;
I am most wonderfully made
All scientific men have said.
None like me since the days of Eve--
None such, perhaps, will ever live--
If marvel to myself am I,
Why not to all who pass me by?
I’m happy, quite, because content,
For some wise purpose I was sent;
My maker knows what he has done,
Whether I’m created _two_ or one.
The medical reports on the anatomical construction of this
extraordinary phenomenon are published separately for the benefit of
the scientific and the gratification of the curious, but sufficient
may be here stated to satisfy the ordinary interest of the public. A
number of gentlemen connected with Jefferson Medical College, in the
city of Philadelphia, examined Christine Millie. Among them were Drs.
Pancoast, Meigs, Bidde, Wallace and Dickson, all well known in the
medico-scientific world. _Forney’s Press_ contains the following report
of the clinic:
At a special clinic recently held at the Jefferson Medical College,
“Christine Millie” was submitted to a scientific anatomical
examination.
Assembled at the clinic we found Professors Pancoast, Ormsby, Rand
and Gross, and Drs. Meigs, W. H. Pancoast, Gardette, Ray, Turnbull,
Atkinson, Barson, Bache, Dickson, Cohen, Atlee, Andrews and others,
well known to surgical fame.
The double-headed girl was introduced by Dr. William H. Pancoast,
the demonstrator of anatomy at the College, and a general feeling
of astonishment was felt when it was discovered that, instead of a
monstrosity there was exhibited to the professional talent assembled
a well-educated, intelligent, quick-witted girl, with nothing about
her that was repulsive or calculated to offend the most fastidious,
but which at once stamped her as a wonder and a source of scientific
information to those learned in anatomy.
Dr. Pancoast stated that the body had been placed under his
professional care, and, owing to the important questions involved, a
private examination had been made by Professors Pancoast and Gross,
and Drs. Sevie and Andrews, which had verified all the opinions
expressed as to her duality.