In the curious annals of medical history and sideshow fame, few names are as captivating as Josephine Myrtle Corbin — a woman whose extraordinary anatomy made her a marvel in the late 19th century and beyond. Born in 1868 in Lincoln County, Tennessee, Myrtle Corbin was not just another child in the Corbin family. She was born with a rare congenital condition called dipygus, which resulted in her having two separate pelvises side by side, each supporting a pair of legs. Yes — Myrtle had four legs, and her story is as remarkable as her anatomy.
A Medical Marvel
Myrtle’s condition, medically speaking, was the result of a twin that failed to fully separate in utero. The result? Two pelvises and two sets of lower limbs, with the inner pair being underdeveloped yet fully formed. What astonished doctors further was that each set of legs had its own reproductive organs — a duality that would later define both her private and public life.
In an era when even minor physical abnormalities could make one a subject of intense curiosity or ridicule, Myrtle was different — both in how she was perceived and how she carried herself. Her condition wasn’t just a spectacle; it was a subject of scientific intrigue.
The Darling of the Sideshow
By the age of 13, Myrtle was on the road, becoming a featured attraction with P.T. Barnum and later with other traveling sideshows. She was billed as “The Four-Legged Girl from Texas,” earning a hefty sum of money at the time — reportedly up to $450 a week (equivalent to over $10,000 today). Audiences were amazed by her poise, her charm, and of course, her unusual figure.
Unlike many in the sideshow circuit, Myrtle was never portrayed as grotesque or monstrous. She often wore custom-made dresses that accentuated all four legs, sometimes even demonstrating that she could move them independently. Her presence was always dignified, and she was celebrated more as a phenomenon of nature than an object of pity.
A Normal Life — With a Twist
Despite her notoriety, Myrtle longed for a normal life. She retired from show business in her late teens and married James Clinton Bicknell at age 19. Their marriage was not only loving but surprisingly fertile. Myrtle gave birth to five children, defying both medical and public expectations. Doctors noted with fascination that she could conceive and carry a child in either of her two uteri.
Her pregnancies, understandably, were of great interest to the medical community. She once said she preferred to be examined by doctors if it meant she could help others understand her condition better. But she also drew a line — she had control over her body and her story, and that power was rare for any woman in the 19th century, let alone one considered a living oddity.
Death, Legacy, and the Grave Robbers
Myrtle Corbin passed away in 1928 at the age of 59, but even in death, she stirred fascination. Upon her death, her family had her body buried in a concrete-reinforced casket — not out of superstition, but to protect her from grave robbers. Word had spread that medical institutions and private collectors were offering large sums for her remains.
Today, Myrtle’s legacy lives on in medical texts, circus history, and the broader narrative of disability and uniqueness. Her case continues to be studied in the fields of genetics and embryology, and she is often cited as an example of how extraordinary anatomy can intersect with strength, grace, and humanity.
More Than a Curiosity
What makes Josephine Myrtle Corbin’s story so compelling isn’t just that she had four legs — it’s that she lived with them on her own terms. She refused to be reduced to a sideshow act, even when that world made her famous. She lived a life of dignity, love, and complexity in an era that didn’t often allow such things for women with disabilities.
Myrtle wasn’t just a medical anomaly. She was a mother, a performer, a trailblazer — and above all, unapologetically herself.
