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The history of conjoined twins Conjoined twins have fascinated people throughout history, and their images are found in cave drawings and carvings dating back many centuries. In earliest times they were worshipped as gods, or feared as bad omens and exiled, abandoned or killed. Later they were viewed as curiosities, and of the few sets who survived into adulthood, many became circus or sideshow attractions, or went on to the stage. Only in the last 30 years, as separation techniques have become increasingly sophisticated, have conjoined twins begun to be seen as individuals rather than freaks.
Conjoined twins through the centuries [top] [next] The Biddenden Maids, 1100-1134 Eliza and Mary Chulkhurst lived in Kent, in the UK, and were joined at hip and shoulder. When one twin died, the remaining one is alleged to have refused separation, saying, 'As we came together, we will also go together'. She died shortly after her sister. The twins left 20 acres of land to the poor, and every Easter commemorative cakes, decorated with their image, are given to visitors to the village. Lazarus and Joannes Baptista Colloredo, 1617-1640s or '50s An example of parasitic twins, a rare type of conjoined twin where one of the pair does not form fully, and remains physically dependent on the other. The shrunken form of Joannes Baptista, whose body had begun to atrophy in the womb, appeared to grow out of Lazarus's torso. Born in Italy, they toured Europe and lived into their thirties. Chang and Eng Bunker, 1811-1874 The original 'Siamese twins', they were born to a farming family in Siam (now Thailand). A 12cm ligament joined them near the breastbone. Nowadays separation would be straightforward, but although the twins asked surgeons to try, no-one was willing to attempt the operation. The King, Rama II, said they should be put to death in infancy, but their mother protected them until 1829, when they went to America. Their years spent touring the world as curiosities earned them enough to set up a farm in North Carolina, where they married the Yates sisters and between them fathered 21 children. When Chang died of pneumonia in 1874, aged 63, Eng refused separation and died a few hours later. Millie and Christine McKoy, 1851-1912 Known as the Two-Headed Nightingale, the girls were black slaves born in North Carolina. They were separated from their family in infancy and sold for $30,000, but were reunited with their mother at the age of four. Joined back-to-back, they became vaudeville stars and toured the world, singing, dancing and playing the piano. Millie died of tuberculosis in 1912, aged 61, and Christine's death followed less than a day later. Giovanni and Giacomo Tocci, 1877-1940s A very rare type of twin, the Tocci brothers had two heads, and two pairs of arms, but shared a lower body from beneath their sixth rib. Their shared legs were very weak, with one deformed foot, so the boys found it hard to stand, and could not walk. Born in Italy, they lived into their sixties, but refused to be exhibited once they were out of their teens. Simplico and Lucio Godina, 1908-1936 Male twins from the Philippines, they were joined at the back and made a living as entertainers, dancing and roller skating. They married twin sisters, and the four performed together on stage. When Lucio died of pneumonia, Simplico was successfully separated, only to die shortly afterwards from an infection.
Pioneering historical separations [top] Surgeons have always been fascinated by the challenge of separating conjoined twins, and there have been many remarkable operations over the centuries. Until the mid-20th century, separation was attempted only if:
Earliest separation The first successful separation was in Basle, in 1689, of twins joined by a ligament just 2.5cm long and 12cm wide. Both survived. 19th-century surgery In 1860, girls joined at the torso were separated by their father, a physician. Only one survived. Paediatric advances in the last century As paediatrics developed, so surgeons grew more daring. In 1955, Dr Rowena Spencer separated the newborn Duckworth twins 18 hours after birth, in order to save the life of the stronger twin. The girls had two upper bodies, but only one lower body, inside which were two kidneys, two bladders, two uteruses, and two or three vaginas. The survivor, Linda Duckworth, is still alive, and lives in Mississippi. The liver was considered a risky prospect for separation, because of the danger of haemorrhage. In 1970, Mr Keith Roberts, a Birmingham surgeon, successfully separated Anna and Barbara Rozycki, joined at breastbone and liver. Both are still alive, Anna living with her parents, Barbara married with children. 21st-century practice Separation nowadays is attempted far more frequently, but this in itself raises many medical, ethical, cultural and religious questions, as parents struggle to make the right choice for the long-term wellbeing of their children.
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