N.B.Paffett Associates, Inc.

Paffett

nick@nickpaffett.com                                                 p: 781-556-5340                                               m: 781-385-9050

Perhaps the most famous of the Mütter Museum’s collection are the plaster death casts of the Siamese twins, Chang and Eng., and their conjoined liver which is on display just below the figures in a specially designed display case.  In life they were joined at the sternum with conjoined, but independent livers.  They toured the world as a medical curiosity but later settled in North Carolina where they took the surname of Bunker,  became naturalized citizens,  and established a plantation with slaves in 1843.  They shared a bed for four.  Chang and his wife had ten children.  Not to be outdone, Eng and his wife had eleven.  Two of their sons fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War.  They were also identical twins but not identical personalities.  Rumor has it that one drank heavily and liked to party while the other was a teetotaler and was more quiet and reserved.  Mark Twain wrote a short story, The Siamese Twins, based on them.  Chang contracted pneumonia and died in January, 1874 and Eng died three hours later.  Their autopsy was performed at the Mütter Museum.  Due to their prolific success the brothers have over 1500 descendants today,  who hold joint annual reunions.