12. The Exploitation of the Dionne Quintuplets

The odds of identical quintuplets like the Dionne sisters being born and surviving into adulthood is only 1 in 57 million. So when the Dionne quintuplets were born in small town Corbeil, Ontario in 1934, they became instant celebrities across the nation with thousands of people offering to help the family and wanting to come visit and see the babies. This initial positive attention quickly darkened as members of the community began making moves to exploit the babies for financial gain, resulting in government intervention and a lifelong devastating impact on these 5 innocent baby girls.

Content warnings: Discussions of pregnancy loss, child exploitation, and sexual abuse of minors.

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Case Sources:

Paluszkiewicz-Misiaczek, Magdalena. "Dionne Quintuplets: unsuccessful experiment of a Noble Society." Ad Americam 9 (2008).

Berton, Pierre. "The Dionne years: A thirties melodrama." (No Title) (1977).

https://parks.canada.ca/culture/designation/evenement-event/dionne

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/traits/twins/

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. "Multiple pregnancy: antenatal care for twin and triplet pregnancies. Clinical guideline [CG129]." (2011).

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/finding-out/pregnant-with-twins/#:~:text=One%2Dthird%20of%20all%20twins,two%2Dthirds%20non%2Didentical.

Cassill, K. (1982). Twins: Nature's amazing mystery. Atheneum Books.

Walker, Melissa. "THE MIRACLE AND TRAGEDY OF THE DIONNE QUINTUPLETS." (2019): 27-27.

DaFoe, Allan Roy (April 1942). "What The Quints Have Taught Me". The Rotarian: 32–. ISSN 0035-838X.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/11/03/dionne-quintuplets-exploitation-five-girls-raised-baby-zoo/

https://www.history.com/news/baby-incubators-boardwalk-sideshows-medical-marvels

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/02/world/canada/ontario-dionne-quintuplets.html

Dafoe, Allan Roy, and William A. Dafoe. "The physical welfare of the Dionne Quintuplets." Canadian Medical Association Journal 37.5 (1937): 415.

https://www.life.com/history/the-dionne-quintuplets-little-girls-lost-in-the-harsh-glare-of-fame/

https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Quintuplets-story-remains-one-of-shame-regret-17201521.php