The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-03
SURGERY ON HUMAN dEARrs.
Why the Operation so often Proves
Unsuccessful.

In the many cases recorded OF op-
eratlons upon the hearts of human
beings, as we'll as In the case of the
lower animals, when the subjects
have died death has been due to blood
poisoning or septic poisoning. The
danger of blood poisoning in such
cases is naturally very great.
This. however, tends to prove
that the actual danger of tha
operation Itself is not insurmounta-
BILE. In cases where the heart has
actually been cut and again sewed up
death has been caused by the tear
Ing out OF the stitches. 1t will be
readily understood, OF course, that
since the heart Is constantly In mo-
tion, even violent motion, such
stitches are likely to tear through
the flesh, when death quickly fol-
lows That the living heart has ac-
tually been laid bare in many in
stances and daring operations have
been successfully performed is sufIl-
Client promise for the future, 1t Is
believed, of this department OF sur
gerry.
The history OF these cases reads
like romance. A few years ago
such operations would have been en-
tirely impossible. DR.. Samuel @.
Tracy, of New York, specialist in
diseases OF the heart, has compiled
list of such operations which will
doubtless come as a surprise to most
laymen. II seems that wounds OF
the heart, according to the records.
are generally due to an incision from
a stab or a punctnre from hat pin
or perforation from a bullet. 9th
er injuries may be due to contusions,
as In the breaking of rib, In which
q splinter OF, bone generates into the
heart walls. Severe injuries of this
latter type may take place without
fstal ending, When injuries take
place which penetrate into the cayi-
ties OF the heart the consequences
are very serious.
In bullet wounds OF the heart an oc-
casionally fatal result may obtain
without the detection of an apparent
wound in the walls OF the heart. A
curious instance OF this kind Is relat.
ed by Canadian physician. In this
case the pericardium, or outside lin
Ing of the heart, showed no wound,
although the right ventricle of the
heart contained a wound large enough
to admit two fingers. II Is evident
that the elastic pericardium was
driven before the q, bullet Into tha
heart, while the ventricle was forcib-
ly distended with blood. Upon autop"
sy the ball was found loose in tn,
cavity OF the heart. Laceration OF
the heart from external violence, Of
ten Of fatal character, occurs with
out leaving any trace Of injury on the
skin. AS a rule, penetrative wounds
of the heart are fatal However.
there are numerous cases on record
which show that recovery is some
times possible. The following illus
trate this point
A negro boy was wounded In the
chest with load OF shot. He lived
sixty-seven days and died from over
eating. The autopsy showed five bull
lets in the heart walls and all firmly
healed over.
The second case was that of a sol
dier who died eighteen years after he
was shot. Upon autopsy the bullet
was found In the lower right ventri-
Gle.
There are numerous records OF per-
sons surviving considerable length
OF time after the heart has been pene-
trated by n .ore>gn substance. An
English surgeon mentious a boy who
lived for a month with a piece of
wood three inches long in the right
side OF his heart In 400 cases OF
heart injury through external yio-
lence 1903 cases dted Immediately 200
In u short time 80 recovered and In
the remainder the termination Is not
given. BY modern antlseptic surgery
and greater skill In these latter days
Sc we're wounds OF the heart may be
treated with greater possibilities OF
success The chest may be opened
the heart exposed and the wound
sewed up. The results obtained in
sewing up heart wounds depend in the
main on the presence or abgence of
sepsis (blood polson). provided the
patient is not beyond hope OF re
coyery from shock on hemorrhags. In
A series OF nineteen cases in wounds
OF the heart where recovery might be-
anticipated. thirteen recovered ana
six died all of sepsis or blood poison
In the thirteen who got well foui
were infected with blood poisoning
but their constitutions were so stronD
that they recovered IL spike cf tIi
VOison.