THE DIONNE
QUINTUPLETS
Written By:
Zehra Nasirali
For: Mr. Buck
Course: HCT-2AI
Date: 2nd
April, 1998
Multiple births, whether by nature or fertility drugs, has always been fascinating.
However, in 1934 a melodrama concerning multiple births has never in recorded history been taken to such extremes; exploitation by Dr. Dafoe, the best-known general practitioner, manipulation by the government and unloved and taken advantage of by their father. These were the Dionne quintuplets; five identical girls given the names Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emilie and Marie. As exciting and interesting, as their birth may seem, their lives were no comparison.
The quintuplets were delivered by Dr. A. R. Dafoe. It came as a great shock to the doctor and Mrs. Dionne since both of them as well as the nurses were expecting a single if baby. Much of the credit for the survival of the Quints was due to the responsibility and care by the general practitioner. After all, it was he who had informed the press about this medical breakthrough; this brought about the start of his fame and millions. Word spread fast and offers of contracts and promotions for businesses poured in. The biggest fear that
Oliva and Elzire Dionne faced was the exploitation of their precious babies, and in time
their biggest fear became a reality. Berton assured, "Fearing private exploitation, the Ontario government removed them from their parents and placed them in a specially built hospital under the care of Dr. Dafoe, who had delivered them." (Berton: 599) The Quints were exhibited with a glass fence around them not enabling anyone to touch them. Although Dafoe was creditable, neither him, the government nor any of the people took empathy on the Dionnes. Dafoe's word was law. He received recognition for handling the Quints and was treated like royalty wherever he went. The Quints were returned back to their parents at the age of nine. Thus, the Dionne family was reunited and never to be taken advantage of by Dr. Dafoe again.
In the 1930's, large families were not fashionable. People who bore more than
three children were looked down upon. When the Quints were born, the Dionnes feared what their neighbours would say. Dafoe and the Government promised shelter, food and proper nurturing for the Quints. Reluctantly, their mother agreed but on the contrary, Berton says, "Dionne was seen a callous, grasping man, perfectly prepared to risk the lives of his children by renting them out to a carnival showman." (Berton: 71) This shows that he did not care about his offspring; his signature on a contract to exhibit his babies also adds to this point. There also came a time when Dafoe and the Red Cross informed Dionne concerning the cost of medical supplies and breast milk, and at all events he signed his children away. Apart from the fact that the Quints were his daughters, Oliva struggled for nine years to reclaim them as he considered them to be a great source of income.
The birth of the Quints became a major Canadian industry. Over 6000 people visited Quintland everyday; Berton confirmed that in one 16-hour period, an observer clocked 1,956 cars at Quintland, at a rate of two cars a minute. The Quints' brothers and sisters also had to wait in line to see their famous sisters and even their parents were limited their visits. The Quints had increased the economy of the country by $500 million therefore the country flourished. The government made money from the Quints by selling postcards, pamphlets about their birth and souvenirs too; a portion of the profit was promised to the Dionnes but even today they have not received the full settlement. ' Mike Harris helped the remaining three epileptic quintuplets with the case, but they only received a robbing amount of $2000 after which they sued the government. Moreover, the 1930's government robbed the quintuplets of their rights to lead a decent life.
The Quints had a terrible life. It is time the government took note of it and compensate them for the interference m their lives; Dafoe and the government had no right to snatch the quintuplets away from their parents. Moreover, Oliva did not deserve to be blessed with the birth of the quintuplets as he merely took advantage of them. In addition, the Quints have been tested throughout their life and it is time that they are heard.
Berton, Pierre. "Dionne Quintuplets." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Volume 1
1988,599.
Berton, Pierre. The Dionne years: a Thirties Melodrama. Toronto: Penguin.
1991.
"Dionne Quintuplets." Encyclopedia Canadiana. Volume 3, 1965, 270.
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