Two-headed man Pascual Pinon: biography. Strange people. "Two-Headed Miracle" - Pascual Pinon

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 genitals. 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!"

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. When 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.

Mexican Pascual Pinon (1889-1929), was proud of his second head. She was at the top of his head and was, as it were, a reduced copy of the first. When Pascual knocked over an extra glass, the little head began to drool and hiccup.

Often he refused to participate in performances, walked away with a face contorted with anger, and did not talk to anyone. The circus authorities had to cajole him, talk to him on neutral topics, pretend that the second head does not exist at all. In the end, he returned, took part in the performances, and everything was as before.

There are many amazing people in the world. Some become so on their own, others - because of the whims of nature. The latter are of particular interest. And, perhaps, the most born one was Pascual Pinon (Mexico is the motherland), born in 1889 and died in 1929.

Striking Feature

There was no such person who would look at this man and not gasp in surprise. Which is quite understandable, because Pascual Pinon became famous as a man with two heads. And the photo provided above clearly demonstrates its feature.

Nothing is known about the origin of the man. It was found in Mexico - that's the only fact. Some say that he lived in an Indian tribe. Others claim that he lived alone near the mine.

Once rumors about reached the organizer of spectacular events from San Diego. This impresario was John Scheidler, who instantly became eager to find the "two-headed miracle." And he found it with great difficulty, spending an unmeasured amount of time and effort. And everyone he asked about Pascual pretended not to have heard of such a thing. Some respondents were aggressive. And when John found the man, it turned out that the locals perceived him as a talisman against the Devil. But they did not praise him at all.

Cruel treatment

The inhabitants of that area turned out to be very superstitious miners. The two-headed man was perceived by them as a child of black forces. And they firmly believed that if he was in their power, the Devil would not harm them. Pascual Pinon turned out to be a victim of prejudice - he was put in a small room in a mine drift, given water and food, but kept on a leash. He slept on bunks covered with straw. And he never saw white light.

John rescued the Mexican. He went straight to the “mine chiefs” and assured them that with his filing, the public could find out in a matter of days that an innocent person was on a leash. The superiors became nervous, and the two-headed man was released. Then, even years later, Pascual tried to change the subject as quickly as possible if he was asked about the time spent on a leash.

Appearance to the people

Pascual Pinon, coming out, immediately attracted the attention of an audience of millions. And this can be understood! After all, a second person looked at people, except for the Mexican! It moved its lips, made all sorts of grimaces, smiled, exposing beautiful even teeth (the size of a grain of rice). He had a conscious, chilling look in his eyes. Sometimes the face was angry or depressed. When people tried to ask the man what his “second” part was saying, Pascual Pinon flatly refused to answer.

The most adequate assumption of his such appearance was this: the second head is an underdeveloped twin brother. Which at a certain stage grew together in the womb with Pascual.

Sometimes he participated in performances. When he could be persuaded to do so. After some time, he became an ordinary fakir in the circus, and hid the other head under the top hat. Once he fell during a performance, and the cruel audience pelted the man with tomatoes and eggs. Insulted by this behavior, Pascual Pinon left the circus forever. What happened next? They say that the Mexican developed psychic abilities, resorting to which, he began to treat people.

Last years

Pascual spent the rest of his life in a nice mansion. He put a big hat near it - passers-by threw money and made wishes there. People assured: everything comes true, and immediately. Now this hat lies in a museum in Amsterdam next to a wax figure of an unusual celebrity.

It is a pity that Pinon did not live long. He died at the age of 40 due to illness. First she overpowered his little head. Due to illness, she literally withered. Then Pascual himself went to the next world. None of the relatives were present at the funeral. But people still continue to make wishes, believing that the spirit of the Mexican continues to live in the wax figure, fulfilling dreams.

amazing women

There are many other strange people in the world. It is worth talking about some women. Michel Kobke, for example. She has an incredibly thin waist. Her circumference reaches only 40.6 cm. True, the girl achieved this herself, wearing a special corset for a very long time. And she is not going to stop there.

And Jill Price has an amazing memory - she remembers absolutely every day of her life from the age of 11. Now she is 51, by the way. And if you give her any date since 1976, then she will tell you in great detail what happened then.

It is impossible not to tell about the American Christy Love - the owner of a breast of 48NN-size! It's hard to imagine, but her "dignity" weighs 14.34 kilograms. Now she works as a masseuse, earning about $ 2,000 daily.

And finally, Ashley Morris. A girl who, since the age of 14, suffers from a severe allergy ... to water. She is forbidden to have any contact with this liquid (drinking and washing - especially), otherwise it can lead to death.

One last thing about men

There are many more that cause surprise and admiration. It is impossible not to recall a man named Nick Vuychich.

This is a 34-year-old Australian who, due to a rare pathology (tetra-amelia), is missing legs and arms. There is only a partial foot. And it is thanks to her that Nick now knows how to do everything: walk, ride a skateboard and a surfboard, swim, write and work at a computer.

Also, everyone can be surprised by a Chinese named Yang Guanghe. In 2012, on April 28, he surprised the whole world, because he managed to drag a car weighing 1.6 tons with his eye sockets!

And the Cuban Yoandri Hernandez Garrido is able to amaze with his peculiarity, which is not even immediately evident. And the fact is that a man has 12 fingers on both hands. Fully developed, like everyone else, only the number is different. He likes this feature - many want to be photographed with him, which brings additional income.

Sultan Kösen can also surprise. He impresses with his height, which is 252 centimeters.

And finally, a few words about a man named Chandra Bahadura Dangi. The citizen of Nepal had an amazing height - 54.6 centimeters! And his weight was about 14 kilograms. Chandra lived a long life - he died at the age of 75 in 2015.

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 emergency surgery to separate the twins, but Simplicio contracted 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.