362 



that supplied, as usual, the heart, the lungs, and the stomach be- 

 longing to its own side of the body, and then gave branches, as usual, 

 to the semilunar ganglion. 



A pair of intercostals also proceeded from each head. The left 

 intercostal from one, and the right intercostal from the other, pro- 

 ceeded as usual ; but those which passed down between the two 

 spines, and adjacent to each other, neither gave off nor received 

 communicating branches, and did not form the usual ganglia, for 

 want of all the cervical, dorsal, and lumbar nerves excepting the first 

 cervical. The other nerves were in general distributed as if the body 

 had had but one spine : thus the nerves of the right arm were sup- 

 plied from the right side of the right spinal marrow, and those of the 

 left arm came from the left side of the left spinal marrow. 



The author next proceeds to such remarks as naturally arise from 

 the contemplation of so singular a production. And the first obser- 

 vation is, that although there were here combined, in the same 

 system, duplicates of several parts, yet there appeared, upon inspec- 

 tion, to be no reason why the functions of life might not have been 

 properly performed. An apparent uniformity prevailed throughout, 

 without abruptness, in the transition from the double to the single 

 structure. Two stomachs terminated in one track of intestines, some- 

 what more capacious than usual. Although the vascular system was 

 furnished with two hearts, the principal vessels were arranged and 

 united together, so that no impediment seemed to exist to the circu- 

 lation of the blood. For regulating the supply of blood to each heart, 

 a communication was established between the vena cava superior of 

 one heart, and the vena cava inferior of the other. 



The nervous system presents also a wide field for conjecture. The 

 function of the two brains appeared to be as independent of each 

 other as those of any two individuals of the same family ; and the 

 reasoning faculties, it is presumed, might have been very opposite, 

 excepting so far as they would have been influenced by the same 

 habits, and by the same course of education ; and their sensual in- 

 clinations (if any such existed) would probably be very different. 



As the vital organs conspired together in carrying on the same 

 process of life, so did the nerves of these involuntary parts unite for 

 the same purpose, though originating from different heads. But, on 

 the contrary, those nerves which supply the voluntary organs were 

 as completely unconnected with each other as if they had belonged 

 to different bodies. So that although in all involuntary and indispen- 

 sable functions there would probably have been the most perfect har- 

 mony, considerable inconvenience might have arisen, where loco- 

 motion was concerned, if the two heads, thus inseparably coupled, 

 had not had the same inclination. 



