Conjoined twins occur in roughly 1 in every 200 identical twin pregnancies and are always identical. Actual numbers for conjoined births vary from 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 100,000 pregnancies, and 40-60% are stillborn, with many others dying within the first few days after birth. About 70% of conjoined twins are female, the reason for which is unknown.
Separation has been attempted on almost all conjoined twins born since the 1950s with varying results, although the first successful separation was performed in Basle, Switzerland in 1689 on twin girls born joined by a ligament at the sternum (xiphopagus). The first conjoined twins to be successfully separated in "modern" times are generally believed to be Catherine and Caroline Mouton of Louisiana, born joined at the lower back (pygopagus)and separated in 1953 at 8 days of age. Both survived the operation, but Catherine committed suicide in 1985.
There are two theories of how conjoined twins are formed. More widely accepted is the "fission theory" which states that conjoined twins occur when a fertilized ovum (egg) begins to split into identical twins, but is somehow interrupted during the process and develops into two partially formed individuals who are stuck together.
The "fusion theory" has been around much longer, but only with modern breakthroughs in understanding embryology has it begun to look more probable. According to this model, twins become conjoined after the fertilized ovum intially splits into identical twins. While lying side-by-side in the uterine wall, the two embryos become fused together. A human embryo, in its earliest stages, consists of three layers of cells. These cells "seek out" cells of the same type and thus bond together to form individual organs. When two newly-separated identical twin embryos are lying in close proximity to one another, sometimes signals get mixed and cells will attach to other cells of the same type, but that belong to the other twin.
The easiest example of the fusion theory to understand is the formation of craniopagus twins. One of the three "sheets" of tissue that comprises the embryo will ultimately "roll up" to become the neural tube - the spinal cord and brain. Like rolling a piece of paper into a tube and taping the edges, the edges of this newly-formed tube will adhere together. Spina bifida, a type of paralysis, is caused when these edges fail to join properly. For this to happen, the cells at the edges of the neural tube must be able to find and bond to one another. However, when two neural tubes are present, the cells at either end of the tubes might accidentally "find" each other, and become stuck.
This "fusion theory" of conjoined twinning has been espoused in recent years by such experts as Dr. Rowena Spencer, who has studied over 1,300 sets of conjoined twins in her 50-year career, and Armand Marie LeRoi, author of the book Mutants which discusses the embryological causes behind many of history's so-called "freaks".
Not surprisingly, the media tries to dumb down the science of conjoined twinning with such inaccurate phrases as "fused since birth" or "joined at birth" - making it seem as though conjoined twins are sort of forced into one body during the birthing process. Perhaps a more scientifically accurate description would be "joined since shortly after conception."
Before the real science was known about conjoined twins, they were looked up on and physically deformed or freaks of nature. Very few who survived to adulthood could get jobs and their mobility was limited. Some were forced to live at home with their parents until their death, but others had more grand ideas. Usually the twins were sold to the circus by their parents and raised in that environment. But they were one of the most popular attractions in the sideshow, many earning a very good living and were able to retire after their career. Some went willingly into the sideshow business as it was one of the few career options available.
Once human rights activists started raising awareness of the deplorable conditions and the constant humiliation and abuse the twins recieved working for the circus, many demanded that the sideshow be removed from the circus. The physically deformed were not feared or looked upon and mysteries of life; they were veiwed as deformed individuals being manipulated and exploited for profit. Most sideshows got rid of their conjoined twins feature by the 1960s. Now conjoined twins can live and work as disabled individuals.
Daisy and Lavender Sanson were born to Harold and Lily Sanson in 1990. It hadn't been seen in the original checks up but the girls were conjoined at the base of the spine and hip. The doctors were thrilled that the girls were so healthy after such a difficult birth but their father was horrified. He immediately asked the doctors to see if the girls could be seperated. After some tests it was determined the girls shared too many important veins and part of their spinal cords were together, so seperation was impossible. As quickly as he could he checked his wife and daughters out of the hospital. He was so ashamed. He had created a pair of monsters. Their mother was hardly so demeaning. She loved her little girls and thought they were special gifts. She decided to name them after her two favorite flowers, the daisy and lavender, which she grew out in the window box of their little home.
As babies, the girls developed a bit more slowly than the other children. They couldn't crawl or walk until they were nearly three years old. Their mother took them for walks despite their father's protests, showing her sweet babies to all the other mothers. While they were curious about the girls, the sweet nature of the two always won over strangers. When they started school their father put his foot down. He would not have his shame going to public school so the girls were home schooled. They still saw their neighborhood friends and went out to play as often as they could get away with it. These acts usually got them a good rap over the head and a loud cursing from their father. Their mother defended them, saying they needed the interaction for when they were adults. The fight would always continue into the night and the girls would fall asleep to the yelling of their two parents.
Through their schooling the girls learned more about their condition as well as the tales of the other famous conjoined twins. Lavender was the best student of the two and had a knack for poetry. Daisy was far too impatient for book learning so her mother taught her to dance and sing. Lavender joined in on these lessons, mostly for the dancing, but she also learned to sing a lovely tune. The best dance they could do was a waltz where the girls twirled around in perfect harmony despite their joined bodies. The duets they performed for the local mothers were highly adored. But still their father could not show any affection or pride in them.
When the girls were ten years old, their greatest loss occurred. Their drunk of a father hardly left any money for the family to survive on, let alone go to regular doctor's visits. So, once their mother finally had the money to go she was given horrible news. She had cancer and it was advanced. She only lived a few more months but she told her daughters to be strong for her. Her death marked the beginning of their life of hell. Their father moved them to a new town and forbid them from ever leaving the house. They couldn't even get home schooled now so they learned what they could out of their mother's books. Their financial situation was still no better as their father drank most of it. The girls would steal money from him and sneak out during the day to get groceries. If they were ever caught it meant a harsh beating.
Through the seven years of this treatment no one would help them. They were thought of as strange people or as if they carried a disease. How they missed their old home. Daisy kept racking her brain for an answer to this problem. They were nearly 18, which would free them from their father's grasp. But where would they go? They didn't have a high school education nor did they have any means to support themselves. Lavender sighed and said she wished circuses still used conjoined twins in their sideshow. It had been outlawed back at the beginning of the 19th century but that didn't deter Daisy. She knew that would be their best ticket out of this hellhole. She searched through the papers all that summer for all the circuses coming near by. Each time they would walk there and ask to be hired, but they were always turned away. Either they were too young to work or they were told it was against the law for the circus to have them. Then Daisy saw an add for the Cirque, it was the last circus of the summer, their last chance before the hell of winter would come. Something seemed different about this circus, so she made Lavender pack her bag. Even if they didn't get the job, they wouldn't return to this house. They were scared, but this was their only choice.
Reply
