Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-12-05
TRANSMISSION OF Blood,

TRANSMISSION OF Blood.
In October Of last year Alexander
Heron was sent to st. Mary's Hospital
by Township Trustee Muth for medical
attention. Some time previous he con-
tracted a nameless disease, which. in.
cressing in virulence, permeated his en-.
tire system, until. Lazaruslike, he was
one mass of horrible ulcers. Outside
medical aid seemed of no avail, and he
was compelled to go to the hospital for
treatment. He gradually sank, not
outstanding the kind attention of the
good sisters and the superior facilities
of the institution. Prescriptions were
of no avail. The attending physician
exhausted naateria medicd to no purpose.
and finally came to the conclusion that
death had marked his patient for his
own. The man wasted away until but
q shadow of his former self remained.
He refused food, lips blanched, every
particle OF color forsook his face, while
bis presence became 80 obnoxious to the
other inmates Of the ward that he was
removed to the dead house. A special.
list was attending the hospital and he
and the other physician were accus-
gether, and the case of Heron coming
under his observation, he suggested
TRANSMISSION of blood. The idea was
adopted, but the difficulty then arose
from whom would they get the vi.
tai fluid. Usually people have an
aversion to losing their blood, and in
ordinary cases clenched fist is about
the only successful persuader, and es.
pecially was it difficult among the pa
tients to secure pure, healthy blood.
Mike Stumpf. however, an inmate of
one of the wards, suffering from frac-
tured ankle, volunteered, and every
thing was ready for the operation
cepting an appropriate instrument.
This wac sent for, and the delicate piece
Of surgery was satisfactorily performed
for the first time in this part of the
country, about three weeks ago.
The instrument consists of rubber
tube some three-quarters of yard
long, with a small nozzle on either end
and Il large bulb in the center. Veinous
blood being the less liable to clot, one
of the surface veins in the left arm was
opened and the little nozzle inserted.
After the air had all been expelled
from the tube. the other end of the in.
strument was inserted in the arm of the
patient. Some six ounces of blood
passed one to the other, when the in
strument was withdrawn aud the arm
of each bandaged. Herrons lips at
once assumed cherry redness, the color
came back to his checks, and in every
way he almost Immediately appeared
better. A put of beef tea and four
ounces of brandy every twenty-four
hours was prescribed for him and a re-
action and recuperation of the system
at once set in. He began to make blood,
but not so rapidly nor in sufficient
quantities owing to the general pros
tration of the system, and last Saturday
it was determined to repeat the opera
ton, which was accomplished with
every possible success. He is now i'm
proving rapidly and there is no ques-
ton of his recovery. His appetite has
returned, the terrible sores are healing
up, and in every way he is now 500 per
cent better than when he was taken to
the hospital year ago. and this won
derful change all in three weeks
When the physicians at first decided
upon the heroic remedy of transfu fusion,
it was the intention to postpone it until
the medical college convened, and per-
form it before the class, but the condi-
ton OF the patient would not admit Of
it. as dissolution was imminent, and it
had to be done at once.
There is no danger attaching to the
party from whom the blood is taken i'll
such cases, but great care must be ex-
ercised in the transmission of the vital
fluid. If particle OF air remains in
the tubes and passes into the veins of the
patient, death results, or if the least
atom of clotted blood is transmitted,
the same result will undoubtedly fol-
low. And to this end in the latter
emergency the tube during the transfu-
sion is laid in a basin Of water, heated
to temperature little above that OF
blood.
The whole affair was eminently sue
cessful, aud reflects great credit upon
the talented gentlemen connected with
it. Tho Courier would be glad to give
the names of the attending surgeons.
but at their request, and owing to the
strictness of the code of ethics, they are
withheld Evansville Courier.
M