Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Hello. My name is Bill and this is my first posting of a new topic to this forum.

Lizzie's alleged epileptic menstrual fits has had me pondering for some time. Since epilepsy is a disorder or malformation of the mind, I began to wonder if she might not have also been physically 'disordered' or malformed.

The human body is symmetrical. We are all fashioned from 2 halves (with each half of the body a mirror of the other).

You may read more about biological symmetry here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_symmetry

There are usually small differences from one side of the body/face to the other.

Taking original photographs, I copied and then mirrored each side of Lizzie Borden's face in an attempt to capture her symmetry and search for any apparent differences.

The results of my experiments are below.

Welcome, BillwWilliams!

Creepy stuff!

As an aside, the only account I've encountered that alludes to the possibility of Lizzie having menstrual-period-related epileptic fits-- or any sort of epilepsy-- is Victoria Lincoln's.

Now, I believe Lincoln makes some good observations, but I can't accept this theory of hers. There's simply not enough support for it.

Moreover, I am most inclined to believe that Lizzie's period was over and done with by the Thursday of the murders, as Bridget testifies that she had washed Lizzie's menstrual pads the preceding Tuesday.

Memorably, the police encounter the bucket of pads on searching the cellar.

I'm inclined to believe Bridget here, and that Lizzie may well have wiped herself down after Abby's murder with her freshly cleaned pads, then returned the bucket to the cellar.

Well, why not wash them out, at least preliminarily?

Because, if Lizzie could convince people that she was still having her period, then she could explain away any blood that happened to show up on her person/clothes.

Indeed, a speck of blood later discovered on one of her petticoats was explained away thus.

Anyway, welcome, and, if you've run across any substantiation of Lizzie as an epileptic, please share!

Hello and welcome, BillwWilliams.

Interesting pictures and I agree with DJ about creepy. Especially the bottom ones. I did check out facial symmetry at wikipedia and some other sites. If I remember right I think they say Jacelyn Smith has one of the most perfect faces as far as symmetry goes but isn't that kind of rare?

On studying the pix some more, note differences between pre-murders and post-murders Lizzie!

Her left side definitely appears to be her best, in the pre-murders pic.

Many actors and actresses, once they have any clout, insist on being filmed primarily on the left side, which they consider their best. They include Claudette Colbert and-- more recently-- Barbra Streisand.

Interesting, the last photo on the left looks like a murderer..............

Perfect symmetry is rare indeed! It's a technically unattainable ideal that many women pay cosmetic surgeons to help them approach, if only in some little way like using Botox to even out cockeyed eyebrows :) That said, I've always thought our Lizzie had an oddish look about her. It would be interesting to speculate how the press of the day would have handled any news of a physical or mental abnormality about her if, indeed, there had been something to note.