We were horrified. We were confused and amazed.

August 23, 2006 2:57 PM

Fetus in fetu is a very rare condition, but it happens. It's when you have a parasitic twin inside you.
posted by snofoam (47 comments total)

I think he ate it.
posted by dov3 at 3:01 PM on August 23, 2006

Oh my god that is so cool. Of course, what would would be cooler would have been if the parasitic twin had been viable, jumping down off the operating table to be his brother's new little buddy. First stop: manicure. Second stop: babes!
posted by Turtles all the way down at 3:04 PM on August 23, 2006

Ahhhh! There's a great Philip K. Dick book where something like this occurs.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 3:07 PM on August 23, 2006

When fetus in fetu make good.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:08 PM on August 23, 2006

GET IT OUT!!!!
posted by jacob hauser at 3:08 PM on August 23, 2006

"To my surprise and horror, I could shake hands with somebody inside," he said.

What an odd observation.
posted by amro at 3:10 PM on August 23, 2006

Turtles all the way down: "Oh my god that is so cool."

Well, cool until you contemplate being the weird twin. There are a whole slew of questions: how developed was the brain of the twin? Was this a thirty-six-year-old retarded person who, in effect, had never seen the outside of his brother? Is it possible for it to have learned to sense things?

I guess I doubt it could do much. But, given that it was growing and such, it's hard to imagine that it was completely senseless. What did it feel for thirty-six years?
posted by koeselitz at 3:13 PM on August 23, 2006

Identical twins are hawt!
posted by davy at 3:14 PM on August 23, 2006

I wonder how he had gone so long without it causing more than just the cosmetic problem of the large stomach.
posted by catseatcheese at 3:17 PM on August 23, 2006

Don't let the pro-life people get hold of this.
posted by anthill at 3:21 PM on August 23, 2006 [1 favorite]

ROU_Xenophobe:

Don't forget this dude, technically only partially "in" fetu.
posted by trigonometry at 3:23 PM on August 23, 2006

I don't even want to imagine this
Is it possible for it to have learned to sense things?

All sorts of things.... imagine it wanting out in some way...

Planning it's escape...

HORROR AT CALL CENTER - hidden twin claws out of unsuspecting host.

Too silly - man was a farmer.

Farmer performs surgery on self, releases twin, immediately teaches it to pull crude plow....

Seriously. The subject bugs me out.... Almost too creepy.

Snakes probably eyed him up...

"I swear - look at him - now that is a two-fer!"
posted by RubberHen at 3:28 PM on August 23, 2006

The parasitic twin never had a brain, so all those awesome horror movie-type scenarios of little brother needing some air aren't possible.

Still.......a hilarious idea.
posted by Monstrous Moonshine at 3:32 PM on August 23, 2006

koeselitz writes "Well, cool until you contemplate being the weird twin. There are a whole slew of questions: how developed was the brain of the twin? Was this a thirty-six-year-old retarded person who, in effect, had never seen the outside of his brother? Is it possible for it to have learned to sense things?"

Parasitic twins are anencephalic. No brain, no thoughts, no feelings.
posted by mr_roboto at 3:34 PM on August 23, 2006

The Dark Half, anyone?
posted by C.Batt at 3:38 PM on August 23, 2006

Some music to listen to while you read this FPP.
posted by greatgefilte at 3:40 PM on August 23, 2006

I'm mildly surprised that it took eight comments for the first Venture Bros. reference to show up.
posted by Iridic at 4:05 PM on August 23, 2006 [1 favorite]

Wow - that is insane. I am not going to be able to stop thinking about this post.

Thanks.
posted by FeldBum at 4:11 PM on August 23, 2006

I'm mildly surprised that it took eight comments for the first Venture Bros. reference to show up.

Only for very small values of eight.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:16 PM on August 23, 2006

eight comments
Half of that actually... I sense a malformed twim comment!
posted by pantsrobot at 4:16 PM on August 23, 2006

twin twin twin comment
posted by pantsrobot at 4:17 PM on August 23, 2006

I'm mildly surprised that it took eight comments for the first Venture Bros. reference to show up.

Well, the "tumor" was in chunks, so we know it's not headed back to Venture Industries to clamp itself on to some giant robotic killing machine. ...or is it?

I personally find this much more disturbing that that post about the monkey a few days ago.
posted by smallerdemon at 4:21 PM on August 23, 2006

Here's a better video, where you can the see the fetus.
posted by FeldBum at 4:24 PM on August 23, 2006

I'm just relieved that there were no photos of 'lil' buddy'.
posted by maryh at 4:25 PM on August 23, 2006

I WON"T LOOK!!
posted by maryh at 4:26 PM on August 23, 2006

India is so hot right now!
posted by jimmythefish at 4:33 PM on August 23, 2006

It's only gross if the sight of men with bizarrely shaped stomachs weirds you out, so basically, if you hate state fairs when its hot outside and the like...
posted by taursir at 4:34 PM on August 23, 2006

I WON"T LOOK!!


Then you won't want to see that video link. I did, and now I am going to eat steak for dinner.
posted by Extopalopaketle at 4:38 PM on August 23, 2006

I'm not eating calamari for days.
posted by jimmythefish at 4:45 PM on August 23, 2006

mr_roboto: "Parasitic twins are anencephalic. No brain, no thoughts, no feelings."

Yeah. It pays to RBTFL. (That is, read both the fucking links.) But I got to use my imagination more this way, I suppose.
posted by koeselitz at 4:50 PM on August 23, 2006

I want one.
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:53 PM on August 23, 2006

I'm mildly surprised that it took eight comments for the first Venture Bros. reference to show up.

That's because the cool people are referencing Duane and Belial.

Phillistines.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 4:55 PM on August 23, 2006

What is in the basket?
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:00 PM on August 23, 2006

If you kept it fed with blood, I wonder if the removed parasitic twin could survive outside the host twin? That would be a hell of a coffee table piece.
posted by modernerd at 5:08 PM on August 23, 2006

Saw a documentary on Channel 4 about a woman in India with the same condition. The parasite was far more disturbing and humanlike than the one in the video, it had a big head with hair yet was flattened out like a bog mummy.
posted by fire&wings at 5:24 PM on August 23, 2006

Damn! Sorry I missed and inadvertently stole your link, Xenophobe. It must have been a side effect of the Diet Pills I'm on.

Let's try it again. I'm surprised it took only four comments for the Venture Bros. reference to pop up.
posted by Iridic at 5:48 PM on August 23, 2006

Parasitic twins are anencephalic. No brain, no thoughts, no feelings.
posted by mr_roboto at 3:34 PM PST

Presidential material!
posted by rough ashlar at 6:21 PM on August 23, 2006

I'm really glad that mine didn't have fingers.
posted by zerokey at 6:33 PM on August 23, 2006

There's a great Philip K. Dick book where something like this occurs.

You're thinking of Dr. Bloodmoney.
posted by whir at 7:10 PM on August 23, 2006

After the upcoming Survivor: Bantustan, can't you just see the next installment? Sesqui Island.

Must flee TV.
posted by rob511 at 7:18 PM on August 23, 2006

Man, if that think came out of my stomach...

I'd cry for seven days. Then I'd have it mounted.
posted by Citizen Premier at 8:45 PM on August 23, 2006

Without a lie, this is my greatest fear and has been for years.
posted by sayitwithpie at 10:08 PM on August 23, 2006

Hm, I've always been pretty scared of home invasion robbery, but parasitic twin - that's aiming high.
posted by bob sarabia at 10:27 PM on August 23, 2006

Oh c'mon maryh - just peek through your fingers at the film clip, it's creepily fascinating and only moderately gross. The creature is huge. The poor guy only weighed 88 pounds after the extrication.

I hope I don't dream about this tonight.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:27 PM on August 23, 2006

Well, at least the guy was pro-choice.
posted by cardoso at 3:59 AM on August 24, 2006

Looks like a chicken.
posted by ®@ at 10:20 PM on August 24, 2006

Also, the voiceover is really over the top.

"A nine pound aberration... of calcified bones... teeth... and nails!" (violin sting)
posted by ®@ at 10:21 PM on August 24, 2006