People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1895 — REINFORCING THE BLOOD. [ARTICLE]

REINFORCING THE BLOOD.

An Interesting Operation to Restore exhausted Vitality. An interesting surgical operation, one which is new to Springfield, was performed about two weeks ago by Dr. W. A. Smith, one of the new members of the fraternity in Springfield. Mass.. ; says the Republican. The operation was the infusion into an exhausted system | of a saline solution to Increase the supply of blood. For years there have been occasional operations of transfusion of blood from the veins of one person to those of another to meet the same purpose, but the operation is so dangerous that it is rarely attempted, except in cases of the most urgent necessity. The danger comes In the likelihood of bubbles of air getting into the blood which is transfused, and those bubbles usually mean death. When they have run their course through the veins and reach the heart, the heart needs to be kept full, and the slight resistance of the air is insufficient to keep the valves working. It was for this reason that the old method went out. But out of it grew the method of Infusing a solution of salt and water Into the veins. The blood is saline and the solution Is transformed into blood rapidly and produces an effect which Is not only stimulating but permanent. It was first attempted in Germany a year or two ago, and has often been done in Europe, but perhaps neve* before In thi3 city. The patient in this case has been suffering for a long time with a tumor in the abdomen, which has sapped her vitality till her system could not stand the cutting which was necessary. It was found advisable to take this method of strengthening the system, and the operation was performed at the Buscall Hospital on Mattoon street. The patient was put under the Influence of anaesthetics and the Injection was made between the breast and the muscles of the chest. About a pint of the solution wns Injected. a fountain syringe being used. The breast absorbs the fluid quickly into the veins, and In this case wtthlng twelve hours all the solution had been taken up by the system. It huH been quite successful. and the patient is so much stronger that It Is hoped that the removal of the tumor can be attempted before a great while.