Sisters Hensel: “Don't call us a girl with two heads. We are two different people with the same body! One life for two: Siamese twins Abigail and Brittany Hensel 2 girls in one body

Siamese twins Abigail and Brittany from the USA graduated from university and began teaching at school

Sisters Abigail and Brittany Hensel are Siamese twins. On March 7, they turned 23 years old. Abby and Brit, as their parents and friends call them, have one body for two, two arms, two legs. With internal organs, too, not everything is simple: two hearts, but a common circulatory system, two stomachs, two gallbladders, three kidneys, but one liver and one large intestine, three lungs, but common genital organs. The sisters have two spines that converge into one pelvis.

Doctors call such twins dicephalic. Such cases are extremely rare. Only four pairs of surviving dicephalic twins are known to history, and one of them is the Hensel sisters. Now they are the only living dicephalic twins in the world.

Abby can drink liters of coffee, while Brit has a quicker heartbeat after a few cups.

When Abby and Brit are called a girl with two heads, they immediately correct: "We are two different people with the same body!" And indeed it is. Each of the sisters has their own character, their own tastes and preferences in food, clothing, entertainment, but they have learned to give in to each other.

* Brittany prefers neutral tones, but Abigail, who loves bright clothes, often wins over what to buy or wear

Abigail and Brittany were born in the town of New Germany (US state of Minnesota). Their mother is a nurse and their father is a carpenter. There are other children in the family - the youngest son and daughter. Hensels are very friendly and stand each other like a mountain. They have a large farm, a lot of livestock and other animals.

Doctors persuaded the Hensel spouses to undergo an operation to separate the Siamese twins. The parents had already agreed, but, having learned that one of the girls would definitely not survive, they resolutely rejected the proposal. Patty Hensel, Abby and Brit's mother, said she would never commit murder. And she challenged fate, for which her daughters are now immensely grateful to her.

In childhood, they, like most ordinary sisters and brothers, often argued with each other. There used to be fights! Once, when they were very young, Brit hit Abby on the head with a rock. Then both cried and asked each other for forgiveness. Now disagreements also arise, but the girls solve them in peace. If they can't find a compromise right away, they just toss a coin.

What are they arguing about? Yes about everything! “We have a different style,” says Abby. - Brittany likes more neutral tones, pearls and all that. And I would love to wear bright, fun colors.” They, of course, buy clothes together. They go to a regular store, choose models, and then alter them at home - in blouses, dresses, sweaters, they have to make a second neckline. They try to buy clothes without buttons and zippers.

Abby, who doesn't mince words, is more likely to win arguments about what to buy or wear. Brit gets revenge when the sisters plan a vacation. Abby is a homebody, and Brit loves all sorts of parties, dancing, movies.

The New Germans know the sisters well and treat them well. And the rudeness or unpleasant jokes of strangers Abby and Brit are simply ignored. And yet everything happens. Erin Junkans, a close friend of the Hensel sisters, says they have to be very careful when they find themselves in a new place. It is impossible to predict in advance the reaction of people, especially in any club. Someone wants to touch the twins, someone starts taking pictures of them. “Abby and Brit don't like it,” says Erin. - My girlfriends and I try to block them from the lenses or cameras of smartphones. I watch how the girls react to the crowd. When they begin to worry a lot, it is better to leave, change the situation. But I'm always surprised by their ability to immediately shake off everything and continue to have fun.

The sisters react differently to coffee. Brit's heart beats faster after a few cups, and Abby can drink coffee by the liter. Brit loves milk, but Abby hates it. As they eat soup, Brittany won't let her sister sprinkle crackers on half of her. Abby is more aggressive, Brit is more artistic. Abby was better at math at school, Brit was better at literature.

Even in childhood, the sisters learned to act in concert. Each controls the arm and leg on their side, and each feels touched only on their side of the body. Yes, and the temperature of the sisters is always different. Abby quickly gets hot, while Brit can freeze at this time.

*Brit controls the right side of the body, Abby - the left, while the twins coordinate their movements well

Twins of different heights. Abby, whose height is 1 meter 57 centimeters, is 10 centimeters taller than her sister. And their legs are different lengths, so Brit has to stand on tiptoe all the time to keep her body balanced. But they coordinate their movements so well that they can quickly walk, run, swim, ride a bike, play volleyball and even compete in local teams. The sisters sing well and accompany themselves on the piano, with Abby playing the parts for the right hand, and Brit for the left.

And they are also able to read each other's thoughts, which they have already seen more than once. When Brit wants to sneeze or cough, Abby automatically covers her sister's mouth with her hand. One day they were watching TV, and suddenly Abby asked: “Are you thinking the same thing as me?” Brit replied, "Yes." And they went to read the same book.

“Each of us has a diploma, but they pay us one salary for two”

The Hensel sisters drive a car. They had to pass on the rights twice - each for himself. But that was about theory. The driving practice was passed once, and the instructor was close to losing consciousness. No, his students did a great job, only he hadn’t done this before. I saw: the steering wheel seemed to be turned by one person, and the pedals, levers and buttons were controlled as if by two different drivers. As a result, two driver's licenses were issued.

“The police rarely stop us, we are disciplined, we don’t break the rules, but anything can happen,” Brittany laughs. - The main fun begins when the patrolman asks for a license. Whose is it for you, we ask, and we begin to argue which of us just drove a car.

The girls have two passports. The sisters love to travel by plane, and every time they have a dispute with the representatives of the airlines. “We are being asked for two tickets because there are two Hensel sisters on the passenger list,” says Abby. - And we answer that we occupy one place in the cabin. So why do we need two tickets?”

The sisters recently graduated from university. They each received a diploma and teach mathematics in elementary school.

“We were hired with no problems,” says Brittany. - But we immediately realized that we would be paid one salary, because we perform the duties of one person. We do not agree with this. One can tell a lesson or listen to students' answers, while the other monitors discipline or checks notebooks at this time. So we do more work than other teachers. Maybe over time, when we gain experience, we will be able to achieve a salary increase. We still have two diplomas.”

Principal Paul Goode is pleased with the new teachers. “Abby and Brit have already become role models for their students,” he said. - And I'm not just talking about the knowledge that they pass on to children. Their attitude to life, the ability to overcome any difficulties is a special gift. Children feel it right away. Sometimes it seems to me that these girls can do everything. They will get whatever they want."

The Hensel sisters are very sociable and easy to get in touch with. But there is one topic that they do not like to discuss. This is their personal life. A couple of years ago, one of the American newspapers reported that Brittany was engaged. The sisters called it "a stupid joke."

Patty Hensel also tries to avoid this topic. In April, when her daughters were filmed by a BBC group, she told reporters: “Any mother wants her children to be happy, healthy and successful. I can say for sure that Abby and Brit are happy and successful. And that's all I want!"

The Hensel sisters are Siamese twins, but despite this, their life is not much different from the lives of other people. Their names are Abigail and Brittany. These girls are cheerful, sociable, and they have their own dreams and goals. They, like other children, went to school, studied hard, graduated from university and got a job. But since each sister has her own character, it becomes curious how they get along in the same body.

dicephalic twins

The girls were born on March 7, 1990 in New Germany. They turned out to be conjoined dicephalic twins. It is very rare for two people to have the same torso with two legs and two arms. At the same time, the body has its own difficulties, so they have three lungs. Also, each girl has her own stomach and heart, which are connected by one blood circulation. In addition, they have three kidneys, two gallbladders, one large intestine and a liver. Two spines end in a common pelvis. All organs, starting from the waist, are one for two, including the genitals.

The Hensel sisters are a huge rarity; in history, only four pairs of dicephalic twins were recorded who were able to survive. But to date, these girls are the only survivors. In addition, they lead normal lives.

Anatomical differences

Although the sisters have the same circulatory system, their body temperature is different, and they feel it. Abigail often gets hot, but her sister is often cold at these moments. Twin girls have different heights. Abigail is 1 m 57 cm, but her sister is 10 cm lower. This is noticeable in the location of the head and along the length of the legs. To make the body look more harmonious and balanced, Brittany always stands on her toes.

Who is the master in the body?

Abigail and Brittany Hensel are fused twins, so each girl only controls the part of her body that is on her side. So, for example, Abigail cannot raise a hand that is on Brittany's side or does not feel pain or touch from her side. Despite this, the girls have learned to move smoothly, so much so that they manage to perform movements as if they were one person. Thanks to this, the sisters walk well, can run and ride a bicycle. The sisters also learned to swim and even drive a car. During their school years, such coherence helped them to take part in local competitions.

Different people

But the fact that sisters Abigail and Brittany Hensel are different people proves not only the structure of their bodies. Each girl may have her own reaction to a particular product. For example, unlike Abigail, Brittany's heart reacts to coffee and her heart rate increases. At the same time, Brit loves milk, but her sister does not. And if they eat soup, Abby only sprinkles crackers on her soul mate, because the second girl does not like such a mix.

But this is not the only difference between the sisters. These are really two different personalities, each has its own character, tastes, preferences and even dreams. Their views on clothing and choice of entertainment also do not coincide. But since they have to share one body, they have learned to compromise.

girls family

Twins Abigail and Brittany Hensel were born and continue to live in their family. Mom works as a nurse, and dad is a carpenter. Girls are not the only children. Parents decided on the birth of another daughter and son. Their family is very friendly, they, despite the difficulties, are support for each other. There is always a lot to do at home, since the parents own a farm with cows and other animals.

When the girls were still small, doctors strongly recommended that they perform an operation and separate the twins. But that meant that one of the daughters would die. Despite the complexity of the decision, the parents resolutely refused. Mother was not ready to sacrifice one of her beloved girls. Today, Abigail and Brittany are immensely grateful that mom decided to leave everything as it is. And indeed, because the daughters grew up cheerful, sociable and active. Their parents and friends call them Abby and Brit.

How was childhood

Despite the unusual appearance, the parents sent the girls to a normal school. Here the Hensel sisters learned not to respond to ridicule. Although it is worth noting that in the town where they live, they are treated friendly and completely normal.

But one of the main difficulties was for the sisters to learn to yield to each other. Before this happened, they constantly argued, there were quarrels and even fights, like all brothers and sisters. Once in deep childhood, when they disagreed again, Brittany grabbed a stone and hit her sister on the head. But this was a lesson for both, the girls were very frightened and with tears asked each other for forgiveness.

Gradually, Abby and Brit learned to peacefully resolve their disagreements. To do this, they can toss a coin or ask their parents for advice.

The girls did not want to be different from others, so they also pursued their own hobbies. So they learned not only to sing beautifully, but also to play the guitar and piano.

What are the twins arguing about?

It may seem to some, well, what can Siamese twins not share, because they should already learn to feel each other? But Abigail and Brittany Hensel are different people, each of them has their own opinion and it can be difficult to make concessions. For example, it can be difficult for girls to choose a vacation, because Abby likes to stay at home. But Brit cannot sit at home, because she likes dancing, funny companies, parties, or at least she just needs to go to the movies. In this case, the girl tries to defend her preferences to the last. But sometimes it is difficult for her, because her sister is one of those people who do not need to “reach into their pocket for a word”, she often becomes the winner in disputes.

How to choose clothes

It happens that the Hensel sisters do not agree on what to wear on their body, because Abby loves “cool” and bright outfits, she believes that jewelry should be original, youthful. But Brit, on the contrary, prefers a restrained style in clothes, neutral shades, and from jewelry - something calm and sophisticated, such as pearls. To get a new thing, they have to negotiate.

The sisters go to ordinary stores in search of things. If they both like a T-shirt or jacket, they buy it and alter it a little at home. If it's a dress or blouse, they make a second neckline. And so the Hensel sisters try to ensure that there are no zippers and buttons on the clothes.

How do girls live in one body

The Hensel sisters (there is a photo on this page) are trying to lead a normal life. They have many girlfriends with whom they spend time. Since it is difficult to sit all your life in a small town, they go to other places. In a new environment, they are helped by friends who try to monitor the reaction of people. The difficulty is that they often want to photograph the twins or just touch them. But such an attitude is unpleasant for girls, friends try to close them from the lens.

Girls like attention, but if it is within the bounds of decency. For example, if a person wants to take a picture, he just needs to come up to say hello and get to know each other a little. In this case, Brit and Abby will gladly smile at the camera.

But if this does not happen, and people brazenly photograph them as a "curiosity", the sisters begin to get nervous and worry. They have to go somewhere else. Despite such a reaction of people, after a change of scenery, the girls are not upset, but continue to have fun, as if nothing had happened. It is worth noting that Abby's character is a little quick-tempered and aggressive, while Brit is softer and more artistic.

Car driving

It seems surprising to many that sisters Abigail and Brittany Hensel, fused twins, can drive a car. Both girls have this skill. Each of them took a driving theory test, but they passed the practice together. Sitting in the driver's seat, both sisters perform their actions, which they agreed on in advance. For example, one presses the gas, the other must press the brake. The sisters have two driver's licenses, each with their own, as well as passports. When they are stopped at the post, the girls ask whose documents to present.

In addition to traveling by car, Abby and Brit fly by plane. But here they often have difficulties, because they are required to present two tickets, because there are two names on the passenger list. But the girls are in no hurry to pay because they only need one place.

Study and work

At the end of school, the girls had another difficulty. Brittany loved literature, while her sister was good at math. They needed to go to university, but in such a way that the interests of the twins were taken into account. As a result, the girls agreed that they want to be teachers of elementary grades. So each sister will be able to teach the subject that she likes.

After graduating from university, Brit and Abby got a job as teachers at the school, but they are paid the same salary, as if two people share the same rate. But the girls do not agree, because they have two diplomas. In addition, while one is conducting a lesson, the other can check notebooks from her classes.

Students enjoy being in the classes with the Hensel sisters. Children learn from them not to give up and have a positive outlook on life.

Sisters Hensel: personal life and dreams

Abby and Brit are sociable and love to talk, but always avoid the topic of personal life. But the fact is that girls and their mother dream of marriage. Somehow in one newspaper a sensation was published that Brittany was already engaged, but the sisters said that this was a “cruel joke”.

Today, girls have gained wide popularity because they are written about in newspapers, invited to TV shows, and even a series was shot with their participation. They are happy, famous and successful people who, perhaps, will soon be lucky, and the sisters will be able to meet a loved one and even become mothers.

25.12.2006

Since the 10th century, about 200 operations have been carried out to separate conjoined twins. The first successful attempt was made in 1689 by a German doctor - he separated the twins, fused at the waist. Since then, history knows many other amazing cases ...

On September 16, 2005, members of the medical team that separated 13-month-old Siamese twins Leah and Tabea Blok gathered in a packed boardroom in front of a large audience of journalists and photojournalists. They performed a unique operation, but their mood was gloomy ...

A few hours ago, early that morning, one of the girls, Tabea, died after a separation. "I think I'll make the point - we're deeply saddened by the passing of Tabei," said Ben Carson, who led the surgical team.

The separation of Leah and Tabea Block will probably go down in the annals of the Johns Hopkins Medical Center as one of the most amazing surgeries ever performed here. It took almost 30 hours, stretching over three days, 95 top-notch neurosurgeons and other doctors, nurses, and countless technicians to make it happen. More than 150 people came together to make the operation a success.

Head-to-head twins, known scientifically as "craniopagus" (craniopagus), are the rarest case of Siamese twins, and are born about one in 2 million cases.

Today, with the advent of new possibilities for brain imaging, plastic surgery and anesthesia, children with such a congenital defect have additional chances for a normal life ...

But these operations are always fraught with tragedy. There is a very high risk for one or both twins to die, or survive with severe brain injuries during surgery. Ben Carson operated on four pairs of these twins. The odds were split exactly 50/50 percent - in two cases both children died, in the other two the children survived, including the Binding twins, who were operated on at the Hopkins Center in 1987.

Nelly and Peter Block, from a small town in northwestern Germany, gave the rights to their story to the German magazine Stern, thanks to which they were able to raise money for the operation. Blocks became popular figures in Germany - fascinated by twins with bright blue eyes and delicate features reminiscent of Dresden dolls, people supported them both morally and financially ...

The first time the Hopkins surgical team met with Nellie, Peter and the babies was in early June 2005. Neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, plastic surgeons, and pediatric and intensive care nurses discussed the risks and benefits of surgery with Blocks. As a result, everyone came to an agreement that the twins should be separated. Otherwise, girls will never be able to assume an upright position, their mobility will be extremely limited, and they will not be able to develop and lead a more or less normal life ...

Extensive scans by radiologist Doris Lin and angiography by Philip Gaillud became the basis on which the surgeons based themselves during the operation. These life-size anatomical models have allowed surgeons to visualize and even "experience" the complex anatomy of twin arteries and veins. The separation of arteries and veins is the main and most difficult part of this operation. The second is to preserve as much mental capacity as possible... "For a long time they won't have any dura mater," explained plastic surgeon Rick Redette.

On June 9, 2005, Redette and plastic surgeon Craig Vandre Kolk made six tiny incisions on the girls' heads, into which they inserted six small tubes through which a special fluid was pumped that expanded the tissues on the head. For three months, the twins' heads looked like balloons...

In fact, the operation began on September 11, but was stopped after Tabei had cardiac arrhythmia, convulsions, and the anesthesiologists had to resuscitate her ... After three days of intensive care on September 15, the operation continued ... Everything developed according to an optimistic forecast, until late that night at Tabei again did not develop heart failure. The twins were separated at 0:15. Despite the titanic efforts of doctors, Tabeya died about an hour later ...

Immediately after the operation, the surviving girl was placed in a special chair, which was equipped with two shock absorbers to protect the soft parts of the head. It also supported the girl's head while the neck muscles were not sufficiently developed ...

Then Leia received a specially adapted helmet so that her head would be protected as soon as she could move independently...

Now Leia is already quite strong. She loves it when her father throws her high - then she rejoices and laughs out loud. And she doesn't seem to be afraid...

The missing skull bone in Leia's head is artificially completed, and in a few years the skull will be completely protected.

She has several more cosmetic surgeries to restore her hair - now Leia's hair on her head is growing in small bushes ...

Her mother, Nelly Block, says: "Before the operation, I carefully looked at my sleeping children. They were two very different, peculiar little personalities ... But they could not show this wonderful individuality if they had not been operated on ... "

When conjoined twins are born sick, doctors and relatives face a difficult ethical problem. Sometimes only one twin has a chance to survive, and for this you need to sacrifice the life of the second twin. Parents may choose to surgically separate twins and save the life of the strongest twin. However, not all conjoined twins have such a tragic fate. For example, sisters Abigail and Brittany Hensel are the only living girl in the world with two heads. This pair of twins, greedy for sensational journalists, even called the "eighth wonder of the world." However, there is something to be surprised...

Consolidated twins, physically remaining one, live a completely normal full life. They are dicephalic twins with one torso, two arms, two legs and three lungs. Each has its own heart and stomach, but the blood supply between them is common. The two spinal cords end in one pelvis, and they have all the organs below the waist in common. Such twins are very rare. The archives record only four pairs of surviving dicephalic twins.

Each sister controls the arm and leg on her side, and each feels touched only on her side of the body. But they coordinate their movements so well that they can walk, run, ride a bike and swim. They learned to sing and play the piano, with Abby playing right-handed and her sister left-handed.

The girls live in a small town in the western United States with a mother who is a nurse, a father who is a carpenter and a younger brother and sister. The family runs a farm with five cows, a horse, three dogs and many cats. People living with them in the same town treat them quite normally, and rudeness from strangers is simply ignored. The sisters explain to the curious that they "do not have two heads", but they are, in fact, two different people. This is emphasized by their clothes, which are bought in a regular store and then altered to make two necklines.

They have different tastes, interests and personalities: Abby hates milk, but Britty loves it. As they eat soup, Britty won't let her sister sprinkle crackers on half of her. Abby is more aggressive, Britty is more artistic. Abby is better at math, and Britty is better at spelling.

When they need to coordinate their desires and make a decision, they toss a coin, set the order of the desired actions, or ask their parents for advice. Usually they settle differences through compromise, but this is not always possible. Between them there are disputes, and even light brawls. Once, when they were very young, Britty hit Abby on the head with a rock.

It often seems as if they are able to read each other's thoughts (some doctors explain this by the fact that certain parts of their nervous system intersect with each other). When Britty coughs, Abby automatically covers her mouth with her hand. One day they were watching TV and Abby said to Britty, "Are you thinking the same thing as me?" Britty replied, "Yes," and they went to the bedroom to read the same book.

Their parents tell them, "You can do whatever you want." Both want to be doctors when they grow up. Britty says she wants to get married and have children.

One of the issues of the famous Life magazine was dedicated to this amazing pair of twins.

Once upon a time, the fate of all Siamese twins was one - to serve as amusement to the public. Today's world is not so cruel, but not many such twins become happy. We want to tell you about the difficult and often tragic fate of these people.

Siamese twins are identical twins that have not completely separated during the embryonic period of development and share body parts and / or internal organs. The chance of such people being born is approximately one in 200,000 births. More often, Siamese twins are born girls, although the first two pairs of the most famous Siamese twins were born boys. But if we discard science and “turn on” feelings, then you will not envy the fate of these people.

1. Unnamed Siamese twins

The earliest case of the birth of Siamese twins was scientifically recorded and dated to the year 945. This year, two fused boys from Armenia were brought to Constantinople for medical examination. A pair of unnamed Siamese twins managed to survive and even grow up. They were well known at the court of Emperor Constantine VII. After the death of one of the brothers, doctors made the first ever attempt to separate Siamese twins. Unfortunately, the second brother did not survive either.

2. Chang and Eng Bunker

The most famous pair of Siamese twins were the Chinese Chang and Eng Bunker. They were born in 1811 in Siam (modern Thailand). Later, all twins born with such a physical anomaly began to be called "Siamese". Chang and Eng were born with fused chest cartilage. In modern science, this type is called "xifopagi twins", and such twins can be divided. But in those days, the boys had to perform in the circus for the entertainment of the public in order to survive. For many years they toured with the circus under the nickname "Siamese twins" and became famous all over the world.

In 1839, the brothers stopped performing, bought a farm and even married two sisters. They gave birth to perfectly healthy children. These famous brothers died in 1874. When Chang died of pneumonia, Eng was sleeping at the time. Waking up and finding his brother dead, he also died, although before that he was healthy.

3. Millie and Christina McCoy

Another famous case of the birth of Siamese twins occurred in 1851. In North Carolina, a pair of Siamese twins, Millie and Christina McCoy, were born into a family of slaves. When the babies were eight months old, they were sold to D. P. Smith, a famous showman. It was assumed that when the girls grew up, they would be used to perform in the circus. They started performing at age three and were known as the "Two-Headed Nightingale". The girls had a musical education, sang well and played musical instruments. The sisters toured until the age of 58, and died in 1912 from tuberculosis.

4. Giovanni and Giacomo Tocci

Siamese twins Giovanni and Giacomo Tocci were born in 1877 in Italy as dicephalic twins. They had two heads, two legs, one body and four arms. It was said that when they saw the kids, their father, not having survived the shock, landed in a psychiatric clinic. But resourceful relatives decided to take advantage of the misfortune and forced the boys to perform in public. But Giovanni and Giacomo disliked this and did not respond well to “training”. They never learned to walk as each head only had control over one of the legs. According to some sources, the Tocci brothers died at an early age. Their difficult life was described in one of his stories by the famous writer Mark Twain.

5. Daisy and Violetta Hilton

These girls were born in 1908 in Brighton, England. They fused in the pelvis, but they did not have any vital common organs. At first, their fate was extremely sad. From birth, they were doomed to perform in various show programs. The twins were bought by Mary Hilton from their barmaid mom, and they started their first show while still very young. The girls sang and played musical instruments, touring throughout Europe and America. After the death of Mary Hilton, her relatives began to “patronize” the girls. And only in 1931, Daisy and Violetta were able to obtain the long-awaited freedom and 100 thousand dollars in compensation through the court.

The twins continued to perform and even came up with their own program. They toured in their senior years and even starred in two films, one of which was a biopic called Bound for Life.

Daisy and Violetta Hilton died in 1969 from the flu. Daisy died first, and Violetta remained alive for some time, but she did not have the opportunity to call anyone for help.

6. Simplicio and Lucio Godina

These two boys were born in 1908 in the city of Samar in the Philippines. The case is unique in that they were cartilaginously fused in the pelvis back to back, yet they were so flexible that they could turn to face each other. When the twins were 11 years old, they were taken to their upbringing by a wealthy Filipino, Theodore Yangeo. He raised the boys in luxury and took care of their good education. In 1928, Simplicio and Lucio married twin sisters (not Siamese) and lived a happy life until 1936, when Lucio fell ill with pneumonia and died. The decision was made to perform an emergency operation to separate the twins, but Simplicio fell ill with spinal meningitis and died 12 days after his brother's death.

7. Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapov

The most famous Siamese twins of the USSR Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapov were born on January 4, 1950. Their tragic fate is known to every Soviet person. The sisters were born with two heads, four arms, three legs and one common body. When one compassionate nurse showed the girls to their mother, the poor woman lost her mind and ended up in a psychiatric clinic. The sisters met their mother only when they were 35 years old.

For the first seven years, the girls were kept at the Institute of Pediatrics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, where they were used as "guinea pigs". From 1970 until her death in 2003, the Krivoshlyapov sisters lived in a boarding school for the elderly. In the last years of their lives, Masha and Dasha often drank.

8. Abigail and Brittany Hensel

Sisters Abigail and Brittany Hensel were born in the western United States, in New Germany. On March 7, 2016, they turned 26 years old. Their life is a vivid example of the fact that, remaining a single whole, you can live a completely normal, full life. The Hensel sisters are dicephalic twins. They have one body, two arms, two legs, three lungs. Each has its own heart and stomach, but the blood supply between them is common.

Abigail and Brittany live with their parents, younger brother and sister. Each of them controls the arm and leg on their side, and each feels touched only on their side of the body. But they have learned to coordinate their movements very well, so much so that they can play the piano and drive a car. The inhabitants of their small town know the sisters well and treat them well. Abby and Brit have many friends, loving parents and quite a fulfilling life. Recently, the sisters graduated from the university, and each received a diploma. Now they teach mathematics in elementary school. Their attitude to life, the ability to overcome any difficulties is a special gift.

9. Krista and Tatiana Hogan

These wonderful babies were born in 2006 in Vancouver, Canada. At first, doctors gave a very small chance that the girls would survive. Even before they were born, they suggested that the mother have an abortion. But the young woman insisted on leaving the children, and never once regretted her decision. The girls were born healthy, and the only thing that distinguished them from ordinary children was that the sisters grew together with their heads. Twins grow and develop the way children their age should develop. They speak well and even know how to count. Their parents simply adore them and always say that they are healthy, beautiful and happy.

In ancient times, it was believed that the birth of Siamese twins portends the end of the world. Therefore, they tried to get rid of them as soon as possible or to sacrifice them to the gods. Later, enterprising people began to earn money from them. They took the unfortunate to fairs and put on freak shows. In this compilation, we have collected the most famous and unusual Siamese twins in history.

Siamese twins Chang and Eng were born in 1811 in Siam (now Thailand). Since then, people who have grown together in the womb have been called "Siamese". When the king of Siam was informed about the birth of so many unusual twins, connected to each other at chest level with a strip of fabric, he ordered to kill this "spawn of the devil", as he considered them "harbingers of misfortune." But the mother did not give her sons to perish. She rubbed their skin with special creams to give elasticity to the tissues that connect the twins. She ensured that Eng and Chang could not only stand face to face, but also change their position more or less freely. The king later changed his mind and allowed a Scottish merchant to take them to North America.

Where later they began to work in the circus. People gladly paid to see unusual brothers. In 1829, Chang and Eng decided to leave public life, took the American surname Bunker, bought a farm in North Carolina and took up farming. Being 44 years old, they married English sisters - Sarah Ann and Adelaide Yates. The brothers bought two houses and stayed with each sister for a week, living with one or the other. Chang had ten children, Eng had nine. All children were normal. The brothers died at the age of 63.

2. Zita and Gita Rezakhanov

Sisters Zita and Gita Rezakhanov Siamese twins were born on October 19, 1991 in Kyrgyzstan in the village of Zapadnoye. Their story became widely known in a number of Russian media after a successful operation to separate the sisters was performed in 2003 in Moscow at the Filatov Central Children's Clinical Hospital. Its peculiarity was that the Rezakhanovs were ischiopagi, just like the Krivoshlyapov sisters. This is a rather rare variety of Siamese twins - about 6% of their total number. They had three legs for two and a common pelvis that needed to be divided. The missing leg was replaced with a prosthesis. The girls spent 3 years in Moscow. Zita is currently experiencing serious health problems. Since 2012, she has been in the hospital under the constant supervision of doctors. The girl spent thirteen months in various clinics in Moscow, and has now returned to her homeland and is in a hospital in Bishkek. Zita is already completely blind in one eye, she sees very poorly in the other eye, while Gita's health condition is stable.

3. Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapov

They were born on January 4, 1950 in Moscow. When the sisters were born, the nurse of the obstetric team fainted. The girls had two heads, one body, three legs, inside they had 2 hearts and three lungs. Their mother was informed that her children were stillborn. But the compassionate nurse decided to restore justice and showed the woman her children. Her mother lost her mind, she was placed in a psychiatric clinic. The next time the sisters saw her when they were 35 years old. The father of the Siamese twins, Mikhail Krivoshlyapov, who at the time of the birth of his daughters was Beria's personal driver, under pressure from the medical leadership, signed the death certificate of his daughters and disappeared from their lives forever. Even the patronymic of the girls was given someone else's - Ivanovna. Apart from each other, the sisters had no one left.

For 7 years, the physiologist Pyotr Anokhin studied them at the Institute of Pediatrics of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. Then they were placed in the Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics. There, the girls were taught to move around with crutches and given primary education. For 20 years, the sisters were "guinea pigs" for researchers. They were only worn for newspaper photos. In total, the twins lived in Soviet institutions for the disabled for about 40 years, only in 1989 they moved to their own house in Moscow. Toward the end of their life path, the disease of alcoholism began to affect their health more and more. So, Maria and Daria suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and pulmonary edema. After years of fighting against alcohol addiction, Maria went into cardiac arrest around midnight on April 13, 2003. In the morning, because of the living sister's complaints about her well-being, the "sleeping" Maria and Daria were hospitalized, then the cause of Maria's death was revealed - "acute heart attack". But for Darya, she remained fast asleep. Since the Krivoshlyapov sisters had a common circulatory system, 17 hours after Maria's death, as a result of intoxication, Daria also died.

4. Bijani Sisters

Ladan and Lale Bijani were born on January 17, 1974 in Iran. This pair of Siamese twins had fused heads. The sisters were constantly arguing. For example, about a career - Ladan wanted to be a lawyer, and Laleh wanted to be a journalist. But, one way or another, they were forced to look for compromises. The Siamese twins studied law at the University of Tehran and became lawyers. And more than anything, they wanted to separate. And so, in November 2002, after meeting with the Singaporean neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Goh, who managed to successfully separate the sisters Ganga and Yamuna Shrestha from Nepal, who had grown together heads, the Bijani sisters come to Singapore. Although the doctors warned them that the operation would be associated with a high risk, they still decided to operate. Their decision caused discussions in the world press.

After seven months of extensive psychiatric examinations, they were operated on July 6, 2003 at Raffles Hospital by a large international team of 28 surgeons and over a hundred support staff. They all worked in shifts. A special chair was constructed as the sisters had to be in a sitting position. The risk was great, since their brains not only had a common vein, but also fused together. The operation ended on July 8, 2003. It was announced that the sisters were in a critical condition, both having lost a large amount of blood due to complications that arose during the operation. Ladan died at 2:30 pm on the operating table, her sister Laleh died at 4:00 pm.

5. Sisters Hensel

Abigail and Brittany Hensel were born on March 7, 1990 in New Germany, Minnesota, USA. The Hensel sisters are conjoined twins who, physically remaining one, live a completely normal full life. They are dicephalic twins with one torso, two arms, two legs and three lungs. Each has its own heart and stomach, but the blood supply between them is common. The two spinal cords end in one pelvis, and they have all the organs below the waist in common. Such twins are very rare. Only four pairs of surviving dicephalic twins have been recorded in the scientific archives. Each sister controls the arm and leg on her side, and each feels touched only on her side of the body. But they coordinate their movements so well that they can walk, run, ride a bike, drive a car and swim. They learned to sing and play the piano, with Abby playing right-handed and her sister left-handed.

6 The Hilton Sisters

Daisy and Violetta were born on February 5, 1908 in the English city of Brighton. The mother of the Siamese twins, Kate Skinner, was an unmarried barmaid. The sisters were fused in the hips and buttocks, and also had a common blood circulation and a fused pelvis. However, each had its own vital organs. Mary Hilton, their mother's boss, who assisted in childbirth, apparently saw in the girls the prospect of commercial gain. And so I actually bought them from my mother and took them under my wing. From the age of three, the Hilton sisters toured throughout Europe, and then in America. Their guardians took all the money that the sisters earned. At first it was Mary Hilton, and after her death, her daughter Edith and her husband Mayer Myers continued the business. It wasn't until 1931 that their lawyer Martin J. Arnold helped the sisters free themselves from the Meyers' grip: in January 1931, they finally received their freedom and $100,000 in compensation.

After that, the sisters left street shows and began to participate in vaudeville under the name "The Hilton Sisters' Revue". And so that they could be distinguished from each other, Daisy dyed her hair blond. And besides, both began to dress differently. Both had numerous novels, but they all ended in very short marriages. In 1932, the film Freaks was released, in which the twins play themselves. And in 1951, they starred in Chained for Life, their own biopic. On January 4, 1969, after they didn't show up for work or answer the phone, their boss called the police. The twins were found dead in their home, victims of the Hong Kong flu. According to the forensic examination, Daisy died first, Violetta died two or four days later.

7. Blazek sisters

Siamese twins Rose and Joseph Blazek were born in 1878 in Bohemia. The girls were fused in the pelvis, each had lungs and a heart, but only one common stomach. When they were born, the parents turned to a local sorceress to give them advice on what to do with such unusual children. The healer advised to leave them without food and drink for 8 days, which was done by the parents. However, the forced hunger strike did not kill the girls, and they strangely survived. Then the sorceress said that the little ones did not appear in the light in order to fulfill a certain mission. Namely: provide your family with money. Already at the age of 1 year they were shown at local fairs. The sisters took everything they could from life. The girls became famous for their virtuoso playing the violin and harp and the ability to dance - each with her partner.

Their life together was overshadowed only once. The reason was the romantic relationship of 28-year-old Rosa with a German officer named Franz Dvorak. However, Rosa, like most women, chose to temporarily give up friendship for the sake of her lover - after all, they shared genitals with her sister - and gave birth to an absolutely healthy son, Franz. Rosa dreamed of marrying her lover, but she succeeded only after a long trial, but even after that, until the end of his life, her husband was accused of bigamy. He died in 1917 at the front while serving in the Austrian army. Josephine was also engaged to a young man, but her chosen one died of appendicitis shortly before the wedding. In 1922, while on tour in Chicago, Josepha fell ill with jaundice. The doctors offered the sisters a separation operation to save at least Rosa's life. But she refused and said: "If Josepha dies, I also want to die." Instead, Rosa ate for two to support her sister's strength, and seeing that Josepha was doomed, she wished to die with her. And so it happened: Rosa survived her by only 15 minutes.

8. Brothers Gelion

Ronnie and Donnie Galion - by far the oldest living Siamese twins - were born in 1951 in Dayton, Ohio. And they remained in the hospital for another two years, as the doctors tried to find a way to separate them. But a safe way was never found and the parents decided to leave everything as it is. From the age of four, the Siamese twins began to bring money to the family, which they received for their performances in the circus. When the children tried to go to school, the teachers kicked them out because they were too distracting for the other students. And the twins went to Central and South America, where they performed tricks in circuses and entertained people.

At the age of 39, they ended their career in the arena and came back to the USA closer to their younger brother Jim. In 2010, due to a viral infection, their health deteriorated. Blood clots formed in the lungs and Jim suggested that they move to live with him. But his house was not suitable for the disabled. But the neighbors helped, who equipped the house with everything necessary for a comfortable life for the twins. This made life much easier for Ronnie and Donnie, so much so that their health improved. In addition, Jim and his wife really enjoy being with their brothers. They fish together, go to the fair and to restaurants. Of course, many people pay attention to them and laugh at them, but there are also those who pay their restaurant bills and say kind words to them.

9 The Hogan Sisters

Krista and Tatiana Hogan were born in 2006 in Vancouver, Canada. They were healthy, had a normal weight and the only thing that distinguished them from other pairs of twins was their fused heads. In the course of numerous examinations, it turned out that the girls have a mixed nervous system and, despite different pairs of eyes, common vision. So, one of the sisters perceives information that she is not able to see, “using” at the same time the eyes of the other. This suggested that the brains of the Hogan sisters were also interconnected.

The family signed a contract with National Geographic and the Discovery Channel to shoot a documentary. The mother and grandmother of the Siamese twins have already seen some scenes from the film and were pleasantly surprised by the "respectful, scientific approach" that the director took. That is why the family refused to participate in the popular reality show. They do not need fame, and a documentary about their life can help other Siamese twins.

10. Sahu Brothers

Siamese twins Shivanath and Shivram Sahu have caused quite a stir in India. Some villagers, which is located near the city of Raipur, even began to worship them, mistaking them for the incarnation of the Buddha. When doctors advised that the 12-year-old brothers, who were born joined at the waist, could be separated, the family refused, saying they wanted to leave things as they were. The brothers have two legs and four arms. They can bathe, dress and eat themselves. Twins share the same stomach but have independent lungs and hearts.

Thanks to training, Shivanath and Shivram learned to spend on all the basic daily procedures - shower, food, toilet - with a minimum of effort. They are able to climb down the stairs of their house and even play with the neighborhood children. They especially love cricket. They are also good students and, to the pride of their caring father, Raja Kumar, are considered among the best students in their school. He is very protective of his sons and says that he will not allow them to leave their native village. By the way, the brothers have five more sisters.