The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-06-21
GIVES BLOOD TO RANSOM WIFE
SENATOR LUKE LEA OFFERS
HIMSELF AS SACRIFICE.
Youngest United states Senator and
His Wife Doing Well After Trans
Fusion.

Washington, June 19.-Unitel
, States Senator Luke Lea of Tennessee.
to save the life of his stricken wife.
herocially sacrificed a quart of his
, blood at Georgetown hospital yester.
! day, and tonight hope for Mrs. Lea's
recovery, which had almost been
! abandoned, is practically assured.
The anxious youngest senator of the
nation, as he lies near the bedside Of
his wife, Is recuperating his strength.
| Mrs. Leas condition, serious for
some time, became alarming Sunday
after an operation the day before.
| Her strength, because of lack Of
blood, was gone and vitality was fast
ebbing away. Senator Lea, upon
learning of her condition, demanded
that TRANSMISSION operation be per-
formed and prepared at once to sub
NIT to the ordeal. At his entreaty
| physicians and surgeons made ar
rangements Immediately, and the op-
Grafton which followed was declared
to have been very successful.
Senator Lea withstood the oper-
: alton well, though it left him SO weak
ened that for hours he could not
stand alone, but his qualification over
the reviving effect it had upon his
wife was inexpressible. Surgeons as
sured him that, without the sacrifice
which he made, Mrs Lea could have
lived but few hours. Both are to-
night in Georgetown university hos
pital
1t will be two or three davs before
Mrs Lea is altogether out Of danger.
AT present her symptoms are favor
able, although she is still very weak.
Senator Lea is confined to his bed at
the hospital, his vitality being re-
duced by the TRANSMISSION operation.
1t Is expected, however, that he will
be able to leave his room in a few
days.
When heroic effort in Mrs. LEAFS
behalf became imperative and the
TRANSMISSION operation was determined
upon, Senator Lea. athletic in stature.
would not consent to anything. but
that sacrifice of his own blood TO re-
new her vanishing strength be made.
But because a prime factor in
transmission ono"Htion ie thHt tho
'.ooo lS fu<!1l-. TESTS were hastily
ordered. Before anaN-'e wac COM
plctad ng the SURGEONS. Drs. ~. -.
Fj5 and George "a.y yaughn. fearing
that death might he swifter than they.
became alarmed at Mrs. Lea's condi-
ton, and decided on the operation
anyway. Just as the senator's arm
rad been barred, and q tube inserted
In an artery word came that the
bloods Of the husband and wife were
fusible.
The other end Of the tube which
h7' been inserted in Senator Lea's
arm was connected with an incision
Ia Mrs. Lea's arm and the blood be-
gan to flow from his veins into those
of his wife. The TRANSMISSION con-
tinued for about an hour and half.
The patient responded to the treat
ment from the first. Gradually the
color was restored to the lips and
cheeks of the frail sufferer. But as
Mrs. Lea's color was restored the
Hush faded from the cheeks of her
husband. When the TRANSMISSION had
continued an hour and a half. he i'm
portuned the surgeons not to arrest
the operation while there was the
possibility Of a doubt as to the ont
come in Mrs. Leas case. But the
surgeons, realizing the weakening ef
fects of such a drain on the senator's
system, eventually staunched the
How. After the operation Senator
Lea fell to the floor in a faint. He
was Immediately placed in bed. and
tonight is making splendid recovarv
Of his strength.