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.

    19/22 (page 15)
    eords had entered, and which, I have no doubt, contained two sets of vessels. Small blood-vessels and nerves must of course traverse the substance of the band. ********** I have had an opportunity of examining a preparation of united female twins, now in the museum of the Royal College of Sur¬ geons in London. The union extends from the lower part of the sternum of each twin to the navel; and there is one umbilical cord common to both. On dissection, the following appearances were observed. The umbilical vein, in its course towards the twins, is divided into two nearly equal sized branches, the division taking place about one inch and three quarters from the umbilicus ; one branch passing upwards in front to the porta of the anterior liver, and the other behind to its proper liver. The number of arteries are four, two from each foetus, and are included in the same theca with the umbilical vein as far as the body, retaining the appearance of an ordinary funis.” Extracts from a paper by Dr3. Sami. L. Mitchill and Wm. Ander¬ son, of New York, * * * ^ « The ensiform cartilage at the end of each sternum ris united to its fellow, and has been in part ossified, forming a hard elastic upper edge to the band which connects these boys. This is convex upward and concave below, becom¬ ing the upper boundary of a canal, which is in the band that communicates with the abdominal cavities of both the youths; from which fact, the canal is necessarily lined by a continuation of the natural peritoneal membrane of the cavities, and the whole of this is covered by common integuments. At about midway in the under edge of the band, is exhibited the cicatrix of an um¬ bilicus, showing wherein the single cord, but no doubt containing two sets of vessels, entered, for the nourishment of these two chil- ren before birth. •■‘‘Into the canal of this almost cylindrical band, there is a pro¬ trusion of the viscus from the abdomen of its respective boy, upon every effort of coughing or other exercise; and these pro¬ trusions, from their particular hardness and size, more at some