Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 150, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1911 — LEG IS GRAFTED ON [ARTICLE]

LEG IS GRAFTED ON

Progress of Surgery Makes Limbs Interchangeable. Feat Will Bo Accomplish*** Within Shost Time, Declares Dr. Victor D. Lssplnasso—Much Difficulty In Finding Patient Chicago.—“ Surgery has made such rapid strides in the last year that I confidently expect the grafting of arms and legs on human beings will be accomplished within a short time.” This was the striking declaration of Dr. Victor D. Lepinasse of tho medical staff of Northwestern university, today. Through a series of operations at the medical college, which Included the sating of an Infant’s life during the last week by transfusion. Dr. Lespinassd has attained world-wide fame as a specialist in repairing diseased tisanes. He is the discoverer of the system of linking arteries together by the use of rings of magnesium. “The one thing that has stood in the way of the successful grafting of limbs,” continued the specialist, “is to obtain subjects willing to make the sacrifice to the cause of science. No one is willing to give up a perfectly good leg or arm to another man Who has lost his. The grafted limb must be allvf, of course, to make the operation successful There are a score of different conditions which must be inet before the operation can be attempted. “I believe that some physician soon wffl meet all the conditions and make a success of ft “More than a year ago we attempt-

ed limb grafting on animals. The arteries were knitted together and the blood circulated freely. We did not have a single deatx The animals are alive now. ~ ; ■ y ‘lf this operation is successful with animals, there is no reason why human beings cannot be mended in the same way. ‘Tor example, a railroad wreck pocurs and an arm of a victim Is severed. If be is rushed to the hospital In time the severed limb may be grafted back without danger. It would be practically impossible to get another man to give up his arm to replace the severed member. This is about the only thing In the patffi of this triumph of surgery. “Although the saving of an Infant's life by transfusion is not s common operation, it has been performed successfully a number of times. Last week a father's arm was bound to ltat of bis child and the baby was saved. It is merely a feat of Joining the arteries together; the Joining of dismembered limbs would be no more difficult” In proof of his statements tbe doctor has photographs of a number of dogs with grafted legs. The livers had been removed and reunited in some of tbe dogs. Several of the animals are traveling on the grafted legs. Dr. Leplnasse's fame is based chiefly on his discovery of tbe magnesium rings for binding arteries. He says the old method of stitching is unsuccessful because of the formation of blood clots.