SYMPATHY BETWEEN TWINS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2550, 10 July 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

SYMPATHY BETWEEN TWINS

A FEW REMARKABLE INSTANCES

Many instances of the remarkable sympathy between twins have been quoted from time to time, and ipertainlv the latest is very tragic (says a" writer in the “Sydney Evening News”): A few months ago twin brother were at the same time inmates of tho Coast Hospital, ant] both were in the same ward. One was suffering from an incurable diseaso and confined to his bed; thd other, under treatment for chronic rheumatism, was able to get about, and was most assiduous in his attentions to his sick brother.

Subsequently the twins returned home—one to~ die, the other convalescent.

As the end twas approaching, the latter could not be. persuaded to leave tbe sick room for a moment. On tho other hand, the dying man could not bear liis brother to leave his bedside. When all was over the surviving twin became morose, and could not be- prevailed upon to converse with his relatives, lie attended.the funeral, -and the day afterwards was found drowned in Wolloomooloo Bay. From -childhood these twin brothers wore, inseparable—if one happened to be out unusually late at night, without the other, .which was seldom, the latter twould not retire to rest until his brother made his appearance. Both were remarkably alike in features and habits.

TWIN SISTERS SUFFER ALIKE. A remarkable case was recently reported in London. A minister has twin daughters, 12 years of ago, and one day, when they were at dinner, one of them jumped up, and said a dog had bitten her leg just above the ankle. As there was not a dog in the room, or in the house, the statement caused a little amusement. An hour later her twin sister went out, and, strange to say, a neighbor’s dog bit her in exactly tho. same .place ■wnore her sister had com* plained of being bitten at dinner. Afterwards both girls suffered pain, and the one not bitten .would even cry out in her sleep, and say that she had been bitten .by a' dog. In fact, tliev both buffered alike, and when tlie real victim’s pain decreased, the other was equally fortunate. A UNIQUE CASE. The writer remembers a very similar case only that the twins -were boys. Here, if one foil sick, the doctors services were required for the other as well: but perhaps there would bo a reduced rate of charges adopted to suit such a unique case. Further, it is _ a fact that if one began to have a pain in bis head, the. other would presently feel the like; while if one was asleep o r sad the other conkl not hold upHus head or be merry. This .was a “double” with a vengeance, but as the sympathy held good in many other things, it is to be hoped that there was more joy than sorrow. In appearance, too, they grew up so much alike, that it was very, difficult, indeed, for' their intimate acquaintances to distinguish between them! An extraordinary instance of this nature is mentioned by Zuingerns, the twins, sons of Petrus Apostolius, a Senator of Mechlin, were* so much alike 'that even their mother often mistook one for the other, so people outside the family would bet very much confused. Such a state- of affairs might be very convenient when a little chastisement was about to be administered; and it mffiht even.be tolerated in love-making, particularly if a breach of promise case were in view. ,