212 Appendix. — Account of the Siamese Twin Brothers. 



APPENDIX. 



An Account of the Siamese twin brothers, united together from their 

 hirth;^ by Prof. John C. Warben, M. D. &c. 



My attention was called to the Siamese boys, by a highly respec- 

 table gentleman, who wished me to examine them, in order to ascer- 

 tain if there was any thing indecorous or fallacious in their appear- 

 ance. On examination, I found that the medium of their connec- 

 tion, was more complicated, than I had expected, and that they ex- 

 hibited other phenomena worthy to justify a statement of their con- 

 dition. 



They were purchased of their mother, by Capt. Coffin and Mr. 

 Hunter, (the owners,) in a village of Siam. Here they had subsisted 

 in a state of poverty, from their birth. They were confined within 

 certain limits by order of government, and supported themselves, 

 principally by taking fish. 



The boys are supposed to be about eighteen years old. They 

 are of moderate stature ; though not as tall as boys of that age in 

 this country. They have the Chinese complexion and physiognomy. 

 The forehead is more elevated and less broad than that of the Chi- 

 nese, owing to malformation. They much resemble each other; 

 yet not so much, but that on a little observation, various points of dis- 

 similarity may be noticed. 



The substance by which they are connected, is a mass two inches 

 long at its upper edge, and about five at the lower. Its breadth from 

 above downwards, may be four inches ; and its thickness in a hori- 

 zontal direction, two inches. Of course it is not a rounded cord, 

 but thicker in the perpendicular, than in the horizontal direction. — 

 At its lower edge is perceived a single umbilicus, through which pass- 

 ed a single umbilical cord, to nourish both children in the fetal state. 



* Notices of these boys have already appeared m various forms, but it was 

 thought advisable to preserve, in this Journal, a revised account of this most remark- 

 able deviation from regular lavps, and we are much indebted to the eminent profes- 

 sional man, w^ho has found time to prepare it. The lithographic print, by the Messrs. 

 Pendletons, who by their graphic skill, are seriously aiding the progress of science 

 and the arts, in this country, will render the case perfectly intelligible, while the 

 picture is as little painful as any unnatural exhibition can be. This paper having been 

 communicatpd at a lato hour, is necessarily added in the form of an appendix. — Kd. 



