Report of an Autopsy on the Bodies of Chang and Eng Bunker, Commonly Known as the Siamese Twins

This is a remarkable document from the dawn of modern medicine, the 1875 autopsy report on Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins who became synonymous with their condition and whose lives defied all medical expectations. Written by physician Harrison Allen, this scientific treatise captures a moment when two of the 19th century's most famous figures became subjects of anatomical inquiry after their deaths. Allen meticulously documents the twins' extraordinary anatomy: the band connecting their bodies, their shared circulatory systems, and the organs that allowed them to live separate lives despite their physical union. The report traces their journey from being exhibited as curiosities to becoming respected North Carolina farmers who married sisters and raised families. Chang died first in 1874, from bronchitis, his body weakened by years of alcoholism and partial paralysis. Eng followed just hours later, perhaps from the shock of separation. More than a medical specimen, this report captures a fundamental question about identity: what does it mean to be whole when you have always been two?