The San Francisco call., 1906-12-29
BLOOD To
SAVE LIFE OF
DYING MAN
For Reward of $25OO Two
Prisoners Declare They
Would Make Sacrifice
VOLUNTEER TO RISK
DEATH BY POISONING
TRANSMISSION From Arteries
Agreed Upon to Prevent
Ravages Of Deadly Virus

AS1OOO y pun " I0N0uC
Ravages of Deadly Virus
OAKLAND, Dec. 2S.-To stake one
mans life against that of another,
dying from blood poisoning, with a
purse of s250O in gold as the reward
TO him who would make the sacrifice,
was the dramatic climax today in an
effort to save from impending death
David #. McWade, a prominent young
attorney of this city, whose life is
slowly ebbing at FabiOIa Hospital.
Only the decision of skilled physi-
clans prevented the move by which a
man was to take the risk of 100 to L
that he would not survive the self
chosen sacrifice of blood TRANSMISSION.
John Thomas. a prisoner soon to be
discharged from the City Jail. was the
volunteer. And. strangely enough,
second man, a cellmate of Thomas,
Lee Hayes. also offered himself in the
struggle against the insidious virulent
poison with which the suffering patient
had been inoculated.
OFFER OF LIFE BLOOD
The offer meant that Thomas should
submit himself as the subject for a
TRANSMISSION Of blood and allow the
healthful how from MS own arteries to
be pumped into the veins Of the dying
man. in order to supply the life fluid
which might destroy the poisonous bac-
terra coursing by millions in the pa
tents own vitiated circulation.
There was the great danger to be
considered that the man who would
make the sacrifice would be inoculated
from the patient. and the physicians
strongly emphasized this risk to
Thomas and Hayes
Thomas was selected at the outset
for the operation. A guarantee of i'm
munity from all responsibility in the
event Of his death was signed by the
willing subject. who declared himself
ready TO risk his existence for chance
TO win the $500 in gold that had been
offered to him by the friends of the
patient.
But after these arrangements had
been comploted the physicians decided
that Mcwade could not be benefited.
and so the test was abandoned, for the
day. at least.
McWade's condition grew so serious
last night that. after consultation. Oar
win c. de Cola, his law partner. de-
cided to make heroic effort to ac-
complish something for the stricken
man The TRANSMISSION OF blood plan
was determined upon and De Cola
started out with the coin to find a
man in good health who would make
the sacrifice. His search led him to the
City Prison. where two of the inmates,
Thomas and Hayes, were chosen Dr.
S. H. Buteau and DR.. o. d. Hamlin ex-
plained what was desired and empha-
sized as strongly as they could the
danger should there be q flow of blood
back from the patient to the subject.
TWO MEN VOLUNTEER
you say there is s25oo in it?" queried
Thomas.
"Yes. the money will be paid you as
soon as the operation is concluded re-
piled De Cola
-TIl take the chance for that amount
Of money" declared Thomas
$50 will l." echoed Hayes.
Then came further medical confer
ence. Later Dr. Buteau explained as
follows why the operation had been
abandoned
.Microscopical examination Of the pa
tents blood showed a large number of
corpuscles, which are the destroyers of
the bacteria These were formed artih-
oially-not by natural process After
completing our plans we reconsidered
them and decided that to introduce
fluid from the proposed subjects ar
teries might reduce the bacteria-hght-
ing quality of the patients blood and
moi. accomplish the desired result This
decision was reached after several con-
ferences. therefore the operation neces-
ssrv 10 transfuse the blood win not be
attempted. The men who had expressed
q willingness to submit knew that they
were taking an almost fatal cnance-
McWade's condition resulted from in
fectfon IN a slight wound in his neck
he started on a hunting trip a week
ago today. A pimple bothefed him and
he pricked it with penknife, but, not
being relieved. he opened it a second
time. McWade continued on his trip.
hut was taken Ill and returned early
this week to Oakland. His entire sys-
tenn was poisoned when he arrived DIR.
Ruteau sent him to the hospital The
physicians have been unable to check
the deadliness Of the poison, and Nc
wade's condition has grown gradually
worse
CoINT BONI'S ELECTION VALID