The disturbing story of Edward Mordrake, the man with two faces

The case of Edward Mordrake is one of the most curious and disturbing medical history. Due to a genetic problem, this bourgeois had a second “functional” face in his neck that caused a deep depression.

We will introduce on a somewhat rough. Unfortunately, the interesting and disturbing story of Edward Mordrake terribly has been buried, and wound under sensationalism. There is little data to know for sure. And those who know they lack hard data. Rarely I dare I speak with so little reliable information, but history and the condition of the character of the nineteenth century well worth it. Edward was an English bourgeois Mordrake affected with a congenital condition called diprosopia. Its position, the extraordinary situation of his malformation and death after his dramatic testimony was a perfect cocktail to create a legend that tarnishes an almost unique medical condition of particular relevance and. This is the story of Edward Mordrake, as we know it.

Edward Mordrake, two-faced man

Edward nation in the nineteenth century, in an inaccurate date. We know with some certainty that the son of the Countess of Darlington, England. Probably this prime location coupled with his physical condition earned him the hatred and contempt of the community. Because Edward Mordrake was actually two faces: a completely healthy and another in the neck, almost in the back, atrophied. But functional, they say, which is much more disturbing. If we ignore Mordrake written reports on the rear face, smaller, it was cross-eyed and somewhat warped, but it moved. Her ability to smile and pout independently of the other face of Edward Mordrake. Less credible, although possible, it is to continue with his eyes. According to legend, Edward Mordrake himself requested to be extirpasen things as whispering “outputs of hell.” This also seems an exaggeration fattened by occasional storyteller.

But what is certain is that 23 years, plunged into a deep depression, Edward Mordrake committed suicide by hanging himself on the balcony of an apartment he had rented. This fact only managed to feed the macabre legend Mordrake second face. Although probably the depression to which he was subjected was due to unpopularity, his extraordinary condition and who knows if not physiological issues. On the other face of Mordrake, we never know to what extent was functional, although it is quite possible that had nerves and muscles to allow him to make vague and imprescisos movement. What’s more, you can even the poor were affected by Mordrake espásmicos tics and movements due to the secondary face. But from there to the other face could see, hear or feel there is so much distance. Finally, after all, was the same Edward Mordrake, and not someone else enclosed in the body of the young.

Diprosopia a terrible syndrome

The diprosopia is a syndrome caused by a genetic abnormality that involves the duplication of several features of the head, including the face. They are usually only specific parts including eyes, or nose. Unfortunately, babies with diprosopia not usually survive more than a few minutes or a few hours after birth for purely anatomical issues. However, there are some extraordinary cases like Edward Mordrake own, the famous Pasqual Pinon or newer cases like Lali Signh or Faith and Hope Howie. The diprosopia is caused by the failure of a gene that is responsible for forming the skull properly. When this fails, the development becomes completely anomalous, almost anything can happen. Unlike trace parasitic twins, faces come from the same body. Are not Siamese who have failed to properly separate, therefore belong to the same The case of Mordrake is especially relevant for their unique features person. In that case, the face of Mordrake was not a “twin”, as legend has it, but it was Edward Mordrake own.

Interestingly, this inborn error is particularly striking for people. It is normal when you consider that the face is an important part of communication in primates. So we tend to identify two different people when in fact it is only one. This happened with the Faith (and Hope) girl we spoke earlier. Although his case is special because he came to develop two frontal lobes. Unfortunately he did not survive despite medical care. The case of Edward Mordrake, however, is especially interesting because it is so far one of the most curious and shocking. The patient survived having a “normal” life to 23; and his face was certain own movements. These features make the case unique Mordrake. It’s a shame that there are no detailed medical records. Perhaps, if it had happened at this time, Edward would live and would not have suffered such severe depression. Who knows. It is also a shame that the legend has obscured its history after his death. But what is sad is that the syndrome’s probably too dark for her own life

Hipertextual