Myrtle Was Born With 4 Legs — But She Built a Family of 8 Against All Odds

Josephine Myrtle Corbin was no ordinary child — she was born with an incredibly rare condition called polymelia, giving her four legs: two normal ones and two smaller ones extending from her hips. But that wasn’t all — Myrtle also had two sets of reproductive organs and two pelvises, making her one of history’s most extraordinary medical wonders. Let’s explore her life and uncover the remarkable milestones that made her story unforgettable.

Myrtle was considered a rare and remarkable case of human development.

Myrtle Corbin was born in Lincoln County in 1868, Tennessee, to William H. Corbin, 25, and Nancy Corbin, 34. Doctors who saw the baby shortly after her birth were struck by how much her parents looked alike — both had auburn hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. They even felt the need to clarify that the couple wasn’t related!

The Corbins had a total of four children, including one from Nancy’s first marriage. Myrtle’s birth itself wasn’t unusual, though doctors noted that her breech position could have been fatal for both her and her mother. But Myrtle proved to be a strong, healthy baby. Just three weeks after she was born, she weighed 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and was thriving. Reports from that time described her as nursing well and growing fast — a tiny miracle in every sense.

Affected by a condition known as dipygus, she possessed two lower bodies from the waist down. This unusual phenomenon occurred due to her body axis splitting during development, resulting in two separate pelvises side by side. Remarkably, her smaller inner legs were paired with one of her outer legs. While Myrtle could move her inner legs, but they were too weak to walk on.

Myrtle’s father was facing financial hardship and had to think of ways to support his growing family.

At the age of 5 weeks, people had the opportunity to visit William Corbin and marvel at his four-legged daughter for a small fee. As the years passed, Myrtle grew up accustomed to the constant stares and astonishment from those who encountered her rare condition. Her inner legs never fully developed, her right foot was clubbed, and both of the smaller legs had 3 toes on each foot.

Over the following decade, William took Myrtle on a journey across the country, where she participated in fairs, sideshows, and dime museums. By the time she turned 14, she had achieved success and managed to secure a lucrative contract paying her an unusually high salary of $250 per week.

The four-legged girl, Myrtle, had a younger sister named Ann, who fortunately did not suffer from any birth defects.

Myrtle married when she was 18 and later became a mother.

As Myrtle entered adulthood, she grew weary of the constant attention she received due to her condition. At 18, she decided to marry James Bicknell, a medical student, after which she retired from her performing career. Interestingly, her fame had inspired others to attempt to fake her unique deformity, but all of these impostors were eventually exposed as frauds.

A year into their marriage, Myrtle experienced troubling symptoms like fever, nausea, headaches, and side pains. Concerned, she sought medical attention, and to her disbelief, the doctor revealed that she was pregnant on her left side. Myrtle skeptically responded, saying, “If it had been on my right side, I would come nearer believing you are correct.” The pregnancy proved challenging for her health, and doctors even advised her to consider an abortion due to the severity of her illness. However, Myrtle managed to recover swiftly.

Over the following years, James and Myrtle welcomed seven more children into their family. Tragically, only 5 of them survived infancy, 4 daughters and a son.

The family lived a quiet life until their 5 children reached adulthood. Then Myrtle re-entered the show business. In 1909, when Myrtle was 41, she was a part of Huber’s Museum exhibit, appearing as The Four-Legged Girl from Cleburne, Texas. She often dressed her 4 legs in matching shoes and socks, to the audience’s delight. She was making $450 per week at the time.

In 1928, Myrtle developed a skin infection on her right leg, and the doctor diagnosed her with erysipelas or a strep infection. A week later, on May 6th, 1928, Myrtle passed away. Her casket was covered in concrete, and family members kept watch until it was fully cured to prevent grave robbers from stealing her remains.

Almost a century later, Josephine Myrtle Corbin Bicknell continues to inspire others by proving that even in the 19th century, a woman could forge a successful career and become a mother all at once.

Here, you can learn the story of a woman whose appearance changed due to a medical condition. She worked in the circus to support her children.