THE HEART-RENDERING STORY OF THE FOUR-LEGGED WOMAN

Mother nature is impossible to comprehend. It sometimes gives and sometimes jinxes according to its impulses and needs, and we have absolutely no say in its affairs. We are given a physique at birth and we have to live out our lives in it. It is neither fair nor acceptable that one human is born with a faultless genetic make-up into a wealthy family, whilst somebody else is born with various genetic diseases into an underprivileged family. That, though, is life, and there is zilch that can be done about it.

Myrtle Corbin was born in 1868. There were difficulties in Myrtle’s birth as she was in the breech position. This can result in complications for the child and its mother. Both baby and mother survived the birth. Myrtle was born a healthy baby. There was just one thing abnormal about her; from the waist downwards, she had two bodies. She had four legs, combined with their individual private parts.

Medical academics struggled to understand her disorder, and each one of them gave it their own convoluted name. A doctor even used the word ‘monster.’ Labelling her as a ‘woman, belonging to the mono cephalic class of monsters by fusion.’ When only thirteen years old, Myrtle then became a performer in sideshows. They named her The Four-Legged Woman and promoted her as ‘gentle as the summer sunshine.’

What was really incredible about her was the fact she could do anything any regular person could do. Her extra legs didn’t hinder her anyway whatsoever. Though she could move her two smaller legs in the middle, they were too frail to hold her weight. Nevertheless, she could walk impeccably well with her two outside legs.

Myrtle wed at nineteen and got pregnant the year after. She soon became sick and continually had infections and couldn’t stop vomiting. When the foetus was four months old, a doctor proposed she should have an abortion, because her life was in danger. After some tests, the doctors found out that the foetus was in the left uterus. This astounded Myrtle and she said that ‘if it had been on the right side, I would be nearer to believing you are right.’ It was obvious from her statement she used the right side of her body for sexual intercourse. The abortion was effective, and after her recuperation, Myrtle had children with her spouse with no problems. Myrtle was depicted in the British Medical Journal in 1889. It said: ‘She’s around five feet high, has fair skin, curly hair, blue eyes, and is very intelligent.’

To see her, you would only think her unusually wide across her hips. Myrtle was a medical marvel that the world had never seen before. She lived a complete, ordinary life, with an affectionate husband and children, despite the infirmity she was born with.

She passed away in May 1928. Her family enclosed her in a casket in concrete to guard her against grave robbers. The family was even offered a large sum of cash for her remains by collectors. The family declined the money since they wanted Myrtle to rest in peace like a normal person.

People were firstly fascinated by her because of the odd makeup of her structure, but once they got to know her they flocked around her because of her kind, loving nature. She was an extremely bright woman who lived her best life, even though she was called a monster and a freak by many people. She is a symbol of hope for everyone. Her story reminds us you can overcome any inadequacy if you just have the right attitude in life.