12. Doctors Labeled Giacomo as Idiotic
Some of the medical publications that doctors wrote about the brothers were just a little bit insensitive to the fact that they were, in fact, human subjects. As an infant, Giacomo was actually labeled in some publications as being “somewhat idiotic,” particularly compared to his brother. Giovanni was considered to have normal intellect. Today, any doctor who attempted to do the same would not only have his or her license revoked (due to privacy violations) but would also be the recipient of lawsuits. Additionally, there is no research to suggest that conjoined twins necessarily have an IQ lower than their counterparts; instead, their unique experiences may lead to them developing higher emotional intelligence than the general population.
As the boys grew up, though, they were noted to have “normal” intelligence and were both mentally and physically healthy. Giacomo developed an artistic, creative personality that complemented his talkative nature, while Giovanni remained quiet and reserved. The two spoke multiple languages by the time they were adolescents. Their multi-lingual ability probably served them well, as they continued to be exhibited and visited nearly every major city to the west of Russia. They even did a high-profile visit to the United States, where they were exhibited as “the two-headed boy.”
