Myrtle Corbin American woman born with a double pelvis, four legs and two vaginas Date of Birth: 12.05.1868 Country: USA

1. Biography of Myrtle Corbin
2. Childhood
3. Marriage and Family
4. Pregnancy and Medical Attention
5. Abortion and Later Life

Biography of Myrtle Corbin

Myrtle Corbin was an American woman born with a double pelvis, four legs, and two vaginas. She was born on May 12, 1868, in Lincoln County, Tennessee. Her mother, Nancy Corbin, was 34 years old at the time of Myrtle's birth, and her father, William H. Corbin, was nine years younger than her mother. Doctors who examined the newborn noted that both parents had a striking resemblance to each other, with red hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. They even suggested that Nancy and William could be blood relatives. Myrtle had four brothers, four sisters, and a half-sister from her mother's previous marriage.

Childhood

Despite her unusual physical condition, Myrtle developed and grew up like any other child. Three weeks after her birth, she had gained 4.5 kg and was described as thriving and healthy in a journal published in 1868. As she reached the age of 13, Myrtle began performing in street shows as the "Four-Legged Girl from Texas." Her popularity led to the introduction of other four-legged individuals in the shows. Even after she retired from performing, other pseudo-four-legged women continued to entertain audiences.

Marriage and Family

At the age of 19, Myrtle married Dr. Clinton Bicknell, with whom she had four daughters and one son. None of her children had any physical abnormalities. Myrtle's unique condition was described by teratology specialists in medical journals and encyclopedias of the 19th century. One doctor referred to her as "a female belonging to the monocephalic class of united monstrosities."

Pregnancy and Medical Attention

In the spring of 1887, approximately a year after her marriage, Myrtle became pregnant for the first time. She experienced abdominal pain, fever, headaches, and loss of appetite, leading her to seek medical attention from Dr. Lewis Wayley. After two months of persistent vomiting and amenorrhea, it was determined that Myrtle was pregnant. Dr. Wayley discovered that both of her uteruses were developing a fetus. Myrtle expressed disbelief when she was told about the pregnancy and stated that she would have been more inclined to believe it if the baby was on the right side, suggesting a preference for using her "right side" during sexual intercourse.

Abortion and Later Life

Due to Myrtle's deteriorating health, Dr. Wayley recommended an abortion. The pregnancy was terminated eight weeks after her initial examination, and the fetus was reported to be three to four months old at the time. Myrtle fully recovered from the procedure, and all subsequent pregnancies were successful. Her life as an adult, fully embracing her femininity, was described in medical journals across America and around the world. She was depicted as an educated, refined woman with a remarkable taste in music. Myrtle Corbin passed away on May 6, 1928, in Cleburne, Texas. In her family, no further cases of such anomalies were documented.