Animation Source Forums

In answer: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=622453

This has hardly been the only such case. Several years ago there was a girl born with two heads, in the U.S. The parents, wracked with emotional turmoil about whether or not one head should be terminated, in order to allow the girl to live a more normal existence, determined to keep both alive (I remember reading about the girl, who is recognized as two individual twins sharing one body, in the issue of Life Magazine shown in the first link below):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abigail_and_Brittany_Hensel

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/444860/twoheaded_girl_is_happy_healthy_teenager.html

http://www.xenvideo.com/2007/01/02/two-headed-girl

Where in the article did it say the baby died? Because I just read through it (all the way) and saw no such info pertaining to such an event.

Well, the question is fascinating, isn't it?

It comes down to the prevailing morality and perception of "self" in our societies, and in the scientific and cultural communities. After all, it is clear that, in the girl's case, this is a matter of incompletely-divided "conjoined" twins...as they have two separate spinal columns, fused as they approach the single pelvis, two separate stomachs and sets of lungs and I think even hearts. But only one set of arms and legs (even though a third arm was removed at birth as "extraneous"). And only one set of reproductive organs.

It's funny how the scientific and cultural community looks at two-headed animals as just that...one animal with two heads. But when it's a case like this girl and the aforementioned boy, it's conjoined twins who simply didn't separate. I suppose they are concerned about giving the two distinct personalities of both heads (in the case of a human) any sort of "complex" or other identity issues, so they make sure to indicate that they are two people...who just happen to be sharing one body (or perhaps an incompletely-divided body).

Now, I don't mean to trivialize the legitimacy of the conjoined twin thing. And it's very good to see the "girls" doing so well. But I wonder how science and ethical elements (as well as cultural ones) would deal with a child with, indeed, one complete set of organs and limbs, but two heads? Would they still have the nerve to call that two separate people? Or "conjoined twins"? Or some manner of genetic anomaly? This girl's (these girls'?) case is so similar, and yet so complex. They have to coordinate their control of one set of arms and one set of legs. How tough that must be! And what sort of issues will it create when they become adults, or even now...with the often fiery and reactionary nature of the teenaged brain (and theirs'). The articles never discuss what happens when they get mad with each other, or argue. Or how they deal with not being able to have privacy. Or what will happen when they seek intimacy (in a boyfriend or...er...boyfriends). With only one set of reproductive organs, how will that impact upon their romantic and future family plans and lives?

(You don't have to worry about thinking yourself odd just for wondering about this. I mean, it's quite natural for us as a species to wonder and marvel at such things. I mean, just to be silly about the whole thing - and NOT silly at the same time, since it is clear that both girls can sense and control both sets of arms and legs, and the common areas of their body, one has to wonder if they ever play pranks on each other. ROFL. Like, if one happens to be sleeping, the other decides to play tickle games with their shared feet...or something like that? lol What sort of crazy pranks would that lead to? And do they play slap each other when engaged in a friendly argument? Since each head can control each hand, do you never know what your hand will be doing if your "sister" takes control of it and decides to mess with you? )