Parters of the Heart
- Thread starter Rebecca
- Start date
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
M
McCln
I watched several times the movie about the persons involved in it.on Showtime. The real person who perfected the technique was a black man who was not really allowed on the surgery room with the child. But the head surgeon requested and got the man in to assist him. That is a classic piece of history everyone should make note of. The man was the surgeon's assistant because he was not able to go medical school. But he knew how the heart worked and perfected the technique still used today, but more improved. I do not recall the movie's title, but it really good to watch.
H
Harpoon
Lets remember the names...
Vivian Thomas was an employee (surgical research technician) of Vanderbilt University (as I recall) who was assigned to assist in Dr. Alfred Blalock in his lab. Blalock brought Thomas with him to Hopkins when he assumed positions chief surgeon at Hopkins and a professor and director of the surgical department in the medical school. There, they worked out how to run a shunt to pass blood from the lungs to the heart which improved oxygenation and was a fairly successful treatment for what they called "blue baby syndrome."
Dr. Taussig, another doctor working on the problem, shares credit for the procedure with Blalock. Thomas perfected the operation on dogs, first working out a way to recreate the congenital defect, then a way to correct it. He also devised a number of specialized surgical instruments needed for the procedure and served as a guide for Blalock who (when they first started out) had only very limited experience with it.
Recognition for Thomas' efforts came very late mostly due to segregation and racism (the world in which they lived) in the post-WWII era... Hopkins was essentially "whites only" as far as medical students went and Thomas was denied the opportunities to become a surgeon.
He did teach at Hopkins though and was eventually awarded an honorary degree in law, there are regulations that prohibit honorary degrees in medicine.
Vivian Thomas was an employee (surgical research technician) of Vanderbilt University (as I recall) who was assigned to assist in Dr. Alfred Blalock in his lab. Blalock brought Thomas with him to Hopkins when he assumed positions chief surgeon at Hopkins and a professor and director of the surgical department in the medical school. There, they worked out how to run a shunt to pass blood from the lungs to the heart which improved oxygenation and was a fairly successful treatment for what they called "blue baby syndrome."
Dr. Taussig, another doctor working on the problem, shares credit for the procedure with Blalock. Thomas perfected the operation on dogs, first working out a way to recreate the congenital defect, then a way to correct it. He also devised a number of specialized surgical instruments needed for the procedure and served as a guide for Blalock who (when they first started out) had only very limited experience with it.
Recognition for Thomas' efforts came very late mostly due to segregation and racism (the world in which they lived) in the post-WWII era... Hopkins was essentially "whites only" as far as medical students went and Thomas was denied the opportunities to become a surgeon.
He did teach at Hopkins though and was eventually awarded an honorary degree in law, there are regulations that prohibit honorary degrees in medicine.
A
Abbanabba
I'm one of the lucky ones who benefited from this particular procedure (Blalock-Taussig Shunt), but sadly I don't think we'll be seeing this movie in Australia 
I hadn't known about the racial implications before now, however. Isn't it sad that such restrictions were (and still are in some cases) made on people based purely on a "skin-deep" difference.... literally!
I hope I someday get to see this film for myself.
Cheers
Anna : )
I hadn't known about the racial implications before now, however. Isn't it sad that such restrictions were (and still are in some cases) made on people based purely on a "skin-deep" difference.... literally!
I hope I someday get to see this film for myself.
Cheers
Anna : )
H
Harpoon
And now for some "useless" trivia...
I have a few heros in my life:
Dr. Subramanian (don't ask me to type or pronounce his first name, I can't) who saved my arse the first time at Buffalo Childrens Hospital (now known as Women's and Children's Hospital, part of the Kaleida Health Network....)
Dr. Roger Mee, who saved my arse the second time at Cleveland Clinic but a two short years ago.
Dr. Robert Gingell, who keeps my arse from getting sick again and watches over me like a hawk. Thankyouverymuchsir!!!
And Dr. William "Wild Bill" Mustard, who created the proceedure used to fix my arse about ten years before I was born.
I have a few heros in my life:
Dr. Subramanian (don't ask me to type or pronounce his first name, I can't) who saved my arse the first time at Buffalo Childrens Hospital (now known as Women's and Children's Hospital, part of the Kaleida Health Network....)
Dr. Roger Mee, who saved my arse the second time at Cleveland Clinic but a two short years ago.
Dr. Robert Gingell, who keeps my arse from getting sick again and watches over me like a hawk. Thankyouverymuchsir!!!
And Dr. William "Wild Bill" Mustard, who created the proceedure used to fix my arse about ten years before I was born.
G
geebee
Anna,
The name of the movie was "Something the Lord Made". It is a wonderful movie.
I know it is out on VHS & DVD but I do not know if they are versions that will play in Australian machines. I think the format might be different.
Anyway, you might want to try ebay as they might have some inexpensive copies.
The name of the movie was "Something the Lord Made". It is a wonderful movie.
I know it is out on VHS & DVD but I do not know if they are versions that will play in Australian machines. I think the format might be different.
Anyway, you might want to try ebay as they might have some inexpensive copies.
H
Harpoon
There are actually two "movies" on the subject.
One was a PBS (United States publicly funded broadcasting network) special as part of their American Experiences series. It Features Morgan Freedman as the narrator and he does a great job.
Around the same time it was produced, HBO (another US network, on cable and satelite) produced "Something the Lord Made" which was a dramatization of the story, with actors and such, not a documentary per say...
By the way, there's a term related to that title that comes to mind and is often used when speaking of great heart surgeons, "Walk on Water"
It was used as the title of a book about My second cardiac surgeon (Dr Mee) and his team at Cleveland Clinic.
Written by Michael Ruhlman and available at most bookstores (I'm sure even in Au.)
One was a PBS (United States publicly funded broadcasting network) special as part of their American Experiences series. It Features Morgan Freedman as the narrator and he does a great job.
Around the same time it was produced, HBO (another US network, on cable and satelite) produced "Something the Lord Made" which was a dramatization of the story, with actors and such, not a documentary per say...
By the way, there's a term related to that title that comes to mind and is often used when speaking of great heart surgeons, "Walk on Water"
It was used as the title of a book about My second cardiac surgeon (Dr Mee) and his team at Cleveland Clinic.
Written by Michael Ruhlman and available at most bookstores (I'm sure even in Au.)
A
Abbanabba
Harpoon said:
He is SO going to get typecast!! Still, he does have a great narrative voice!
GB - Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to check out ebay and see what I can find.
A : )
Debrinha GT
Well-known member
My hero
My hero
If there was a God on Earth, to me, it would've been my former surgeon Dr. Euríclydes De Jesus Zerbini who literally performed a miracle on me in 1975 when I had only one chance in a million of making it through surgery. He's been dead since 1992 but until this day, I pray for his soul and thank God for guiding this wonderful surgeon's hands during my operation. He was the one who performed the first heart transplant in Brazil and he once told my mum that if I ever decided to become a cardiologist, he'd want me to work with him. I was only ten at the time, but I was the curious sort and wanted to know all that was getting done to me.My situation was so serious that I was even allowed to pick and choose what I wanted to eat and I recall not wanting to stay among other children so, they put me in with the adults where I felt great and learned a lot of basic stuff. He was probably able to see that I was already showing signs of my love for cardilogy then. If any of you wish to know more about this, go to Heart Stories and it's all there.
Débora
My hero
If there was a God on Earth, to me, it would've been my former surgeon Dr. Euríclydes De Jesus Zerbini who literally performed a miracle on me in 1975 when I had only one chance in a million of making it through surgery. He's been dead since 1992 but until this day, I pray for his soul and thank God for guiding this wonderful surgeon's hands during my operation. He was the one who performed the first heart transplant in Brazil and he once told my mum that if I ever decided to become a cardiologist, he'd want me to work with him. I was only ten at the time, but I was the curious sort and wanted to know all that was getting done to me.My situation was so serious that I was even allowed to pick and choose what I wanted to eat and I recall not wanting to stay among other children so, they put me in with the adults where I felt great and learned a lot of basic stuff. He was probably able to see that I was already showing signs of my love for cardilogy then. If any of you wish to know more about this, go to Heart Stories and it's all there.
Débora
