Monday, August 27, 2007

Dionne Quintuplets


Numerous pieces of ephemera can be found with the pictures or a likeness of the famous Dionne Quintuplets of Ontario, Canada. Pictured here is a magazine advertisement for Kre-mel Desserts, a pudding mix, with Marie the smallest of the Quints at birth.

The Dionne Quintuplets were born on May 28, 1934 in a rural area of Ontario. They are the first known quintuplets to survive their infancy. The quints were also identical which is a one in 57 million occurrence. The Canadian government took the children away from their parents after having learned of a contract with the parents to exhibit the babies at the Chicago World's Fair. To protect the sisters from exploitation the government provided a home with a nursing staff and doctor in residence. Unfortunately, the Canadian government proceeded to exploit the girls for their own financial gain and used them and the doctor in commercial ads, books, and other things. I believe that only two of the five sisters are still alive today.

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