What nightmare for a judge who has a sincere and honest approach to the obligations of his job: Sometime in the seventeenth century the Italian Lazarus Colloredo (presumably 1617-1646) who made a living as a "sideshow freak", came to brawls with one of the men who teased him with the very bodily condition that gave him his living. Although he was known as a mild, gentle and also (in some ways) quite handsome man who did not engage in brawls or crimes this time he snapped: His respons was to kill the teaser. The judge had no doubt that the killer should be executed for his actions, but - as the condemned killer, Lazarus, pointed out to him - that would also lead to the death of an innocent man, namely his conjoined twin, Johannes. Strangely to say, but although this twin didn't have a life of his own, he obviously was alive:
As detailed in the 19th-century book, "Kirby’s Wonderful and Eccentric Museum" Danish anatomist, Thomas Bartholinus, described Lazarus and his brother thoroughly: "I saw Lazarus Colloredo, the Genoese, first at Copenhagen, after at Basil, when he was twenty-eight years of age, but in both places with amazement. This Lazarus had a little brother growing out at his breast, who was in that posture born with him. If I mistake not, the bone, called xyphoides, in both of them grew together; his left foot along hung downwards; he had two arms but only three fingers upon each hand: some appearance there was of the secret parts: he moved his hands ears and lips.
This little brother voids no excrements but by the mouth, nose, and ears, and is nourished by that which the greater takes: he has distinct animal and vital parts from the greater, since he sleeps, sweats, and moves when the other wakes, rests and sweats not. Both received their names at the font; the greater that of Lazarus, and the other that of Johannes Baptista. The natural bowels, as the liver, spleen, &c. are the same in both. Johannes Baptista hath his eyes for the most part shut: his breath small, so that holding a feather at his mouth it scarcely moves, but holding the hand there we find a small and warm breath. His mouth is usually open, and wet with spittle; his head is bigger than that of Lazarus, but deformed; his hair hanging down while his face is in an upright posture. Both have beards; that of Baptista is neglected, but that of Lazarus very neat. Lazarus is of a just stature, a decent body, courteous deportment, and gallantly attired: he covers the body of his brother with his cloak, nor would you think a monster lay within at your first discourse with him. .... "
That's not much of a life, but still, Johannes WAS alive, and he was innocent of the crime of his brother which meant that the judge in the case had to drop the Death Sentence he had passed on Lazarus. It was told that, courteous and handsome (in some respects!), as he was, the otherwise condemned killer married and had several children. The last time the brothers were heard of was circa 1646, and it's supposed that they passed the way Lazarus had feared all his life: ".... he feared the death of his brother, presaging that when it came to pass, he should also expire with the stench and putrefaction of his body; and therefore he took greater care of his brother than himself."
https://www.weirdhistorian.com/parasitic-twins/
Wikipedia
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