Living for two: How Siamese twins get along with each other

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Life has given these people a terrible surprise, and it takes tremendous mental strength to cope with it. In the old days, in most cultures, such children were considered heralds of misfortune, later they became hostages of their special body and most often performed in circuses and booths, and not always of their own free will. However, there were also happy stories here. Many Siamese twins can boast of a fulfilling life and do not consider such a fate a curse at all. Often they even find love, create families and give birth to healthy children.

Chang and Eng Bankers

Two-headed children and fused twins have been described in chronicles since ancient times. The oldest such record dates back to 179 - the Chinese historical chronicle Hou Hanshu tells about a "two-headed child." And in the Western world, a similar case dates back to 945, when Siamese brothers from Armenia were brought to Constantinople for medical evaluation.

However, until the 19th century, it was hardly possible to say anything good about the fate of such children. Chang and Eng became the first pair of conjoined twins who gained worldwide fame and achieved success in life. The boys were born in 1811 in Siam (the territory of modern Thailand) and for many years performed in the circus of the British businessman Robert Hunter. The brothers have traveled all over the world, and it is thanks to them that the term "Siamese twins" has become entrenched in the world. However, at the beginning, their life path could have ended in the same way as it happened, probably, with most of these children - the king of Siam, upon learning of their birth, ordered to immediately kill the babies so as not to bring trouble to the country. However, their mother bravely stood up to protect her children, and as a result, their lives were spared.

Performing in the circus, the brothers managed to accumulate a fair amount of money, so they later moved to America, bought a farm and began to lead the life of wealthy planters. In 1843, they married two sisters, Adelaide and Sarah Ann Aits. In these families, a total of more than 20 children were born (Chang had 10, and Eng had 11). In order to share this strange family life as much as possible, each of the wives with children lived in a separate house, and the brothers "stayed" for a week, first at one, then at the other. The brothers lived a long, fulfilling life. They died at the age of 62 exactly as usual, unfortunately, almost all Siamese twins leave the world - with a difference of several hours, from pneumonia, which Chang fell ill with.

Millie and Christina McCoy - The Two-Headed Nightingale

These babies were very unlucky at birth - they were born in 1851 in North Carolina, in a family of slaves. After seven completely normal children, Siamese twins were a huge surprise for their parents. For a long time they did not want to show the children to their master, as they feared for their lives, and as it turned out, it was not in vain. The slave owner simply sold the children as a curiosity to the owner of a traveling circus when they were one year old. A terrible life began for the girls. They were resold many times, once even stolen, constantly shown to the public, who, moreover, demanded that the freaks undress - you must make sure that the owner of the booth is not lying!

In the end, the last owner, from whom the babies were stolen, still found them. Joseph Smith turned out to be a decent man and treated the sisters well. He even bought out their mother and took up the upbringing of Millie and Christina. Teachers were hired for them, and the girls learned good manners, literacy and music. They turned out to have amazingly beautiful voices, and then their career took a different path. A few years later, all of America was conquered by the performances of the "Two-Headed Nightingale". The girls really enjoyed the creativity, they even performed at Buckingham Palace, and Queen Victoria presented the rare singers with hairpins decorated with precious stones.

After another few years of triumphant touring, Millie and Christina saved enough money to buy their parents a farm. Slavery in America has long been abolished, so the Siamese twins were able to eventually decide that they want to leave the scene. They spent many years after that living in seclusion in their mansion and doing charity work. They died at the age of 62 from tuberculosis, which fell ill with Millie.

Rose and Joseph Blazek

The Bohemian sisters were born in 1878. The parents, frightened by this unprecedented miracle, turned to the healer, and she gave them “wise” advice - do not feed their children for 8 days. It is surprising that the children still survived with such an attitude, but then the parents did to them as, in principle, most often happened with Siamese twins - they almost immediately began to show them for money. However, the girls grew up very gifted and did not seem to be discouraged. They played musical instruments, danced beautifully and earned their living from this.

Until the age of 28, they lived quite happily, until an amazing thing happened - Rosa fell in love with a German officer, and he reciprocated her! Joseph did not accept this relationship for a long time and did not even want to think about possible intimacy, because below the waist the sisters were one. However, in the end, she agreed to a similar marriage. After long trials and accusations of bigamy, this strange union did take place, and Rose became pregnant. She was able to endure and give birth to an absolutely healthy boy. Little Franz was fed by the sisters together, since both had milk. By the way, legally, according to the laws of that time, they were both considered his mother. Rosa's husband died, and the sisters raised their common child together. Later, both still had romances. When they were 56 years old, Joseph contracted jaundice. It was already the beginning of the 20th century, and the doctors offered the sisters a separation in order to save at least one of them, to which Rose replied:. In 1922, the sisters died.

Shivanath and Shivram Sahu

India is a country from whose inhabitants it is really possible to learn tolerance towards various physical deviations. Whether because of the peculiarities of their pantheon, or because of the mentality, but children who are considered ugly in other countries are accepted here not only calmly, but sometimes even with joy. Indians, for example, believe that babies born with a tail or "trunk" are the reincarnations of the gods Hanuman and Ganesha. Therefore, the appearance of Siamese twins in a small village near the city of Raipur caused quite a stir. When the doctors proposed to separate the children, the parents refused.

Shivanath and Shivram seem to be quite happy children. They have learned to do everything that is necessary on their own, so they do not give their parents a lot of trouble. The brothers love to play in the yard, they are especially good at cricket. Boys go to school and study well. The father is very proud of them, and everyone around them shows great attention and care - what if unusual children are also a deity who has come to our world.

Abigail and Brittany Hensel

These amazing girls can really serve as an example of fortitude and unfading optimism. Born with virtually one body, the Hensel sisters were in a very difficult position. This is a rare case of surviving (and living a full life) dicephalic twins: the sisters have two heads, one torso, two arms, two legs and three lungs. The difficulty lies in the fact that each controls its own half of the body. Therefore, for joint action, they need synchronization. Many Siamese twins, controlling each of their legs, cannot learn to walk, and Abigail and Brittany have mastered not only movement, but also running, swimming, playing the piano. They ride a bicycle, motorcycle and drive a car (girls have different driver's licenses). Now they are 29 years old, and the girls have never denied themselves the joys of life.

After school, the sisters studied at the university and began their careers as primary school teachers with a specialization in mathematics. Their diplomas are different, but they work "for one":