Curious Experiments in the Transfusion of Blood.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2039, 1 August 1885, Page 6 (Supplement)

Curious Experiments in the Transfusion of Blood.

Tnn transfer of blood from the bodies of healthy parsons to those of the sick for the purpose of sustaining the otrength and prolonging Hfa has boen practised by physicianH, ( with hdiited sucjgph, for several conturies Some very curious experiments in this dirpclion have been lately made in Denver, Col., by Mr. G. A. Armitage, an account of which, written by hia assistant, Mr. Jamed L. Finch, was given in the Denver Daily News, from which we quote the following : The subject opeiated upon was a medium sized terrier dog. It was securely tied, and an incision ruado in an artery in hia neck, by which the animal was bled to d?a'h. Hp cprtainly p^ed through all the eympton > of dying, and coon after the last blood j \i from the wound his frame became iised and rigid, and his eye? shewed the senseless glare of death. Tuc room was kept at a temperature of TOcleg. Fan., while the dog lay for three hours rlpa^i. By thia time he had b:corne very ettff and oold. He waa now placed in a warm water bath that was constantly maintained at a temperature of lOSftiss*, and was continually and thoroughly rubbed, and as he became pliant hia limb's were gently worked about and hi 3 whole body rendered supple. A half pint of hot watervrasnowpassed into his stomach through a hard rubber tube that was forced down hia oesophagus. When this was lacoompliahed, tho mouth of a rubber tube, attaohed to a bellow 1 ?, wag introduced into his windpipe, and as tha bellows were provided with & double valve, by which tho air could bo withdrav/n as well in inhaled, Ins dug's noee was securely fastened up. A large and powerful Newfoundland dog that had boen obtained for the purpose had been tied near by, and was now bled, while tho attending hiuvgo'i proceeded to adjust the transfusing apparatus, and began to slowly inject the live dog's blood into the dead one. SmiuUanrously Mr. Armifcago began slowly working the respiratory bellow, while I kfpt rubbing the animal and bending hit) limbs end body to facilitate circulation. We oould not haw bam more anxious abaufc the iMue et our efforts if they had been made on • human being instead of a dumb brute. Wb n n a pint of freph blood had been injected, I could Pi 3 a some change about the oyee of the dog. Bat no one ppoke. One thought was com-non to all— would lifo coma luck ? In a few momenta more theie was certainly a convi^ive tremor not'C^able in the body. Mr. Armitftgd in undisguised excitement said to tho aargoon, " Pres* the b'oc.^." In a minnto or two more the dog gasps, and soon attempts to eject tho respire, ory tube, which was accordingly withdraw. i. This was followed by gmps and a. cvtohmg of the breath, while the eyes grow brighter .v.id more natuial. The rubbing and blood injecting were yet applied, and the dog was struggling as if in a fit. Bat his effort's Boon became less violent, and he begins a low whine. A comprpss waa now placed on the artery, and in twentvtwo miuutes after the firht blood was in jootc J, he sits up, after having been dead three hours and twenty minutee. Tl-.e dog then drank a broth thai, had been puptired for him in case of his revival, and soon got up, arm waked about. Ho was furnished a com forta'ole bed near the stove, and from this time forward hia recovery was so rapid that in two day he wm turned out to run the streeK H-j is now a ru^eJ character in good health, with seemingly no ba<l remembrance of hia rpfiurrection. Tho secoud case was tested onj.be asoond day of Dci mhf v. Tno subjeot selected was a calf cix A'eeks old. Tho details of treatment were similar to the fcre^ain^, except for greater Cmv j . '.iic, .i hot vrtcur bath wti« fiiibatituLd f^r tb- •virni watbi 1 iianuerfaiou. The calf, after being bled to death, waa left for twrlve hours before its resuscitation waa undertaken, as it was desirable to see if a longer death interval oonld be successfully passed ov?r. Tne frefh blood injected into its circulatory ays torn was drawn from a yearling steer. It required thirty-five minutes to restore the calf to life after the transfasion of the first blood. Tho calf then drank some warm milk, and has Binoo grown and thriven without perceptible interruption or ailment. The next experiment was of a different character, and wa3 made with a view to see if a drowned animal could be restored to life. A small dog was forced under water, and drowned. He was then taken out, and laid with hia head inclined downward to drain his lungs of water, and left for four hours in a warm room. It will be noticed that this was quite a different and more hopeless case than tbo preepding, as the dog had all his own blood yet in hU veins. After an hour in the warm bath, and constant rubbing and working, his veins were opened at three different poinis to admit of the escape of any blood that might i33ue from them, and the injeoting apparatus was vigoi oualy applied to the arterial system. After fifty minutes of anxious labor, signs of revivification were observable. The poor beast whined piteously as life was being once more enthroned within him. Notwithstanding great care was taken of him, he remained vreak for several days, but seems now to be in good condition. A fourth case was recently tried, in whioh the subject was a dog that was strangled and afterwards frozen— as he could not be frozen without strangling — was unsuccessful. After four hours of labor, no signs of returning lie were notable. It is believed, however, that this experiment may yet succeed, and the life of a frozen animal restored. It is proper to add that, in the first oases, after the blood ceased to flow from the wound, measures were taken to prevent air entering the circulatory system as the animal cooled, and in all the cases the respiratory apparatus was nicely adjusted to the capacity of the f,niraal. If the luugs in any oase had been ruptured or overstrained, hrcmorrhage would hava Hiibnequently ensued. The fiMt dog operated upon is now in the possession of Mr. George Woodside, No 831 Champa-ctreet, and the calf is in the stock lot of Mr. Boyd, west of the Platte, near the 1 iiirtieth Street bridge. Any one having the curiosity to see animals that have once been dead, and afterward scientifically vestored to life, can do so by calling at these places.

A LETTER FROM MB. ARMITAOK, To the editor of the Scientific American : Plpane find inclosed borein a relati )n ol my assistant, Mr. J. L. Finoh, in regard to some experimei Is instituted by myself in this city on levital zing dead animals. The account was published in the Denver Newt five days ago. It is proper for me to add to this nocount that since then I have successfully restorod life to a d6g that had been dead eighteen hours— his death having been effected by blood letting. After he beoame unconscious, he was treated similarly to the dog first mentioned in the artiole inclosed, except that the temperature of the room in which he lay wns maintained at 40 deg. Fab.., to prevent any probable change of tissue taking place. This osse was brought to a successful termination last night. The dog is doing well, has oaten some to day, but teems somewhat weak. The r.-flults of these experiments appear most momentous to me, and I am desirous of having them repeated by others, and my own work corroborated. I believe they will be of value to mankind, and in order to introduce them to more general attention I submit them for your consideration, or for snob a publication of the facts as may seem proper, ti. A. Absiitaqe..