The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-22
Senator Luke Lea Offers Himself as
Sacrifice to Restore Rer
GIVES aIS own BLOOD
The Operation Is Entirely Successful
and the Youngest United, States
Senator and His Young Wife Are
Both Doing Well After the Trans
fusion Is Made.

United States Senator Luke Lea of
Tennessee, to save the life Of his
stricken wife, herolcally sacrificed a
quart of his blood at Georgetown
hospital Sunday, and Monday night
hope for Mrs. Lea's recovery. which
bed almost been abandoned, is prac-
tically assured. The anxious youngest
senator of the nation, as he lies near
the bedside of his wife, is recuperat-
ing his strength.
Mrs. Lea's 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
init to the ordeal. At his entreaty
physicians and surgeons made ar
rangements Immediately, and the OPP
Grafton which followed was declared
to have been very successful.
Senator Lea withstood the opera
ton we'll, though it left him so weak
that for hours he could not stand
alone, but his qualification over the
reviving effect 1t had upon his wife
was inexpressible. Surgeons assured
him that, without the sacrifice which
he made, Mrs. Lea could have lived
but a few hours. Both are now in
Georgetown university hospital.
1t will be two or three days before
Mrs. Lea Is alto ogether 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 few days.
When heroric effort in Mrs. Lea's
behalf became imperative and the
TRANSMISSION operation determined up
on, Senator Lea, athletic in statute,
would not consent to anything, but
that a sacrifice of his own blood TO
renew her vanishing strength be
made.
But because prime factor in trans
fusion operation is that the blood be
fusible, tests were hastily ordered.
Before analysis was completed by the
surgeons, Drs. H. D. Fry and George
Tully Vaughn, fearing that deatn
might be swifter than they, became
alarmed at Mrs. Lea's condition, and
decided on the operation anyway.
lust as the Senator's arm had been
barred. and a tube inserted in an
artery word came that the blo'ods OF
the husband and wife were fusible'
The other end of the tube which
had been inserted in Senator Lea's
arm was connected with an 1nclslon
in 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 a half
The patient responded to the treat
ment from the first. Gradually the
color was retored to the lips and
cheeks of the frail sufferer. But ae
Mrs. Lea's color was restored the
flush faded from the cheeks OF he1
husband. When the TRANSMISSION hao
continued an hour and a half, he i'm.
MOI tuned the Surgeons not to arrest
the operation while there was the
possibility of a doubt as to the out
come in Mrs. Lea's case. But the
surgeons, realizing the weakening ell
fects cf such a drain on the senator's
system, eventually staunched the
flow. After the operation Senator
Lea fell to the floor in a faint. ne
was imediately placed in bed, and
is now making splendid recovery OF
his strength.