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The etymology of term siamese twins can be attributed to Chang and Eng Bunker, the famous conjoined twins from Siam who earned their living in the U. S. as a circus attraction in the Barnum and Baily Circus. They we reborn on May 11, 1811 in Siam and eventually made their way to the United States where they earned a living first as circus attractions and then as farmers.
Scientists of the day argued over whether the brothers could be successfully separated, since the twins joined at the chest by a thick band of tissue. Twins joined this way can now be separated, but Chang and Eng did not have 20 th century technological advances at their disposal. Nevertheless, they lived long and fruitful lives until their death at age 63. Both married and fathered 21 children between them. Interestingly, 2 of their grand-daughters produced 2 normal sets of twins. However, the story of Chang and Eng is an exceptional one, since so few conjoined twins survive beyond infancy, let alone are born in the first place.
Siamese twins are the result of a rare embryological accident. The developing embryo begins to split into identical twins but then stops part way leaving the partially separated egg to mature into a fetus. Most conjoined twins are stillborn, and those that survive often die within a few hours. The frequency of the birth conjoined twins is difficult to estimate, but perhaps 5 % of monozygotic (identical twin) twinning's fail to separate completely and are conjoined. According to Dr. Alan Guttmacher, noted physician and monozygotic twin, conjoined pairs are rarities which occur only once in 50, 000 to 80, 000 births.
There is a great range in the degree of fusion, and depending upon which organs are shared, some twins have undergone separation surgery where both have survived. Points of juncture can be entire torsos, the top or side of the cranium, hips, rear ends, chests.
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Research essay sample on Chang And Eng Conjoined Twins Circus
