Myrtle Corbin Was A Four Legged Woman Who Had Five Kids Of Her Own

She was quite popular in her time, and we can totally see why.

Ayoub

• Published in Interesting
• May 20, 2018

Back in the day, people used to call Myrtle Corbin the Four-Legged Woman, even though that name is a bit misleading if you consider all the facts. While she was born differently from the 'norm', she still led a pretty normal life. Most people didn't know the whole story behind her supposed four legs, the truth is, only one pair of those legs belonged to her, while the other set belonged to her dipygus twin sister.

Corbin was born in Lincoln County, TN in 1868, most of her childhood was spent in Blount County, AL, her condition was not only unusual but it was also incredibly rare. 

Despite being malformed, her twin's tiny body developed fully only from the waist down, she only had three toes on each foot. Myrtle had full control of her sister's limbs but never managed to use them for walking while she herself found it quite difficult to get around since she was born with a clubbed foot. So if you think about it, the ‘Four-Legged Woman’ actually only had one usable, good leg.

Myrtle Corbin as a young girl

She used to be considered as quite the popular attraction with P.T. Barnum, and with Ringling Bros. and Coney Island later on. Myrtle's popularity was likely due to her showmanship as she was known for dressing the extra limbs in socks and shoes while making sure everything matches perfectly, which ended up making her appearance truly surreal. Her popularity helped her make a weekly sum of as much as $450 dollars.

Myrtle in 1882

Myrtle got married to a doctor named Clinton Bicknell at the age of 19. That's when the question that was on everyone's mind got answered. It became evident that her twin sister was also fully sexually formed, so Myrtle possessed two vaginas at the same time. She gave birth to four daughters and a son and rumor had it that not all of her children were born from the same set of organs and that three of them were born from one set and two from the other. Regardless if this rumor is true or not, it's still medically possible. In George M. Gould and Walter L. Pyle's book "Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine," they observed that both vaginas menstruated which indicated that they both could potentially be sexually functional.

Josephene Myrtle Corbin Four-Legged Girl with her husband and daughter

"Only one pair of those legs belonged to her, the other set belonged to her dipygus twin sister"

Photo card – Josephene Myrtle Corbin Four-Legged Girl (May 12, 1868 – May 6, 1928)

"Despite being malformed, her twin's tiny body developed fully only from the waist down, she only had three toes on each foot."

Myrtle Corbin passed on May 6, 1928, surrounded by family and friends.

There certainly is a lot of unique people out there, even today. Watch the video below to learn more about a different case - one where the woman actually has 2 reproductive organs.

Ayoub