The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-12
WILL TAKE HEARTS
FROM HUMANS next
DIR. ALEXIS cARREL TELLS of ne
mARKAeLE OPERATIONS
ON CRIMINALS.
OTHER MIRACLES DONE
YOUNG WOMAN FORGETs WHICH
KNEE WAS UsELEss--METHou
DESCRIBED BEFORE
SURGEONS.
OTHER MIRACLES DONE

NEW oH~h4 Apr1l lI.~-L'T. A4HAi5
Carroll. of the Rockefeller institute
for medical research. who received
the Nobel prize for, medicine In 1912.
explained today to the American Sur
Rical association. now in convention at
the Hotel Astor. a modern miracle Of
surgery performed IN operations on
IN eheart. DR.. Carroll. when question
ed by the reporters. pointed out that
thus far his methods have been tried
only on animals. In his lecture, bow
ever, he said that the experiments
had been tried with the object OF Ill
lmately applying the method to hu-
man surgery.
Dr. carrelTs story Of taking the
heart almost literally in the hand,
stopping its action for two and
half minutes while delicate opera
tons were performed and then re-
leasing II 10 continue it's work with
out artificial urging was listened TO
with profound attention.
After saving that the experiments
conducted last year and this had for
their object the development of n
tons in the pulmonary and aerotic
orlfces might be performed without
danger To the patient, Or. Carroll went
on LAS it was the object of these
operations that they he applied ul-
timately TO human surgery X was
primarily necessary to accumulate
about the operative procedure a num-
Der OF factors of safety"
Pass Danger OF PIeurisy.
He described the means by which
danger Of pleurisy in opening the
chest was averted and Infection pre-
vented. Then no told how after try
ing the many methods formerly ad-
vised for stopping the circulation OF
the heart during operation he had
hit upon the method of gripping the
mass of the pedicle OF the heart in
large soft jawed pair OF forceps,
care being taken not to produce any
compression before the time of
clamping. in order that the heart
might be. IN normal condition.
when these precautions are taxi
en-" said DR. Carrel, ct was found
possible TO clamp the pedicle Of the
heart for two minutes and half
without any substantial danger.
When the clamp was removed the
, heart resumed It's pulsations and af-
ter a short time they were again
! very regular. In no case were there
any accidents, nor was there any need
I Of massaging the heart when the in
/ terruption of circulation did not ex-
coed two and one-half minutes.
This" he added. probably allows
/ a considerable margin OF safety and
/ It would be possible to prolong the
t operation n little without danger to
\ tho animal. But two and a halt
I minutes appears to be sufficient time
/ for the performance of several op-
! erations on the valves of the heart. "
/ Expcl Air From Heart.
1 In operating, DR.. Carrel, said open
/ nary artery and the aeorta is al
ways followed by the entrance OF
! air into the heart 1t had not been
| found dangerous, he said. when the
( pulmonary artery or the right ven
| tricle was opened, but the introduc-
/ ton of air through the aeorta into the
left ventricle was danerous.. He mad
+ found and described a method by
which the air bubbles could be ex-
PEELED
He described a series OF expert
i mental operations on the hearts OIL
animals and said: These operations
were performed with tho purpose OF
ascertaining whether operations such
as should be made In cases of An
fammation. stenosis or dilation Of
the opening would be possible"
THE results must be considered
( from two standpoints. the dangers in
volved TO the life OF the animal and
the general local causes. When the
I technique was carried out as de-
scribed there Is little danger to life