An historical account of the Siamese twin brothers, from actual observations.

  • Hale, James W.
Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An historical account of the Siamese twin brothers, from actual observations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    as may best suit their convenience, generally, however, with their faces towards each other. They usually sleep nine or ten hours each night, and quite soundly ; when they do feel restless, and desire to vary their position, the one must roll entirely over the other, and they have fre¬ quently been observed to do this without either awaking or being apparently disturbed by the change. Upon the possibility or otherwise of separating them by surgical means, some difference appears in the opinions of scientific men; ninety-nine in an hundred believe it alto¬ gether impossible, and all, that it would be an experiment of such risk, as not to be warranted, unless in the event of the death of one; and that it is considered as almost, an impossibility, in consequence of the strong degree of circu¬ lation which is between them. It is, however, to them a very unpleasant subject, and they feel quite averse to have it spoken of. They have often remarked, that they never saw any single person as happy as they are, therefore they have no reason to wish for a change. The humidity of a northern climate did not at first asree with them ; the weather, on their arrival in England, being unceasingly damp and foggy ; both, in consequence, were severely affected by colds and coughs, in equal degrees, from which they recovered simultaneously. During the dark and foggy days, they would sometimes take a deaden¬ ed coal from the grate, and, holding it up, call it the Lon¬ don sun ; and the day after their arrival there, it being necessary to have lighted candles in the drawingroom at noon in consequence of the fog and smoke, they went to bed, insisting that it was not possible it could he day-time. Snow they had never seen till they went to England, and on first viewing it they were much astonished, inquiring whether it was sugar or salt.