James D. Hardy Research Paper

The world of surgery is rather fierce in principle and those who make it up do not fall short. From Galen to Dr. Christiaan Barnard, the greatest have often been seen as deities, except for Dr. James D. Hardy. Although he is overlooked, from his work on transplantation to his roles in medical experimentation, his impact on the world of surgery and the world at large is immeasurable. James Hardy, a native of Newala, Alabama, attended the University of Alabama and graduated with a major in Chemistry and minors in biology and German in 1938. After graduation, he found work in the German department of the University. Due to lack of interest, the department failed. Hardy then set his sights on medical school. He attended the university’s
Hardy set his sights on a new transplant pursuit. A patient arrived at the hospital suffering from lower extremity gangrene, hypertension, and a history of multiple myocardial infarctions. He was also in cardiac failure. He was a prime candidate for an experimental heart transplant. His donor would be a patient from neurosurgery who was dying in a vegetated state. When it came time for the procedure, the cardiac patient deteriorated and the neurosurgery patient remained stable. A tough decision was made and the procedure would be executed (“Dr. James D. Hardy”) Dr. Hardy led the twenty man team on one of the most morally complex procedures to date (Harrell 541). Instead of using a human heart, they transplanted the heart of a chimpanzee. The heart was able to beat for ninety minutes off of cardiopulmonary bypass and retained a stable blood pressure between 90-100. The patient died in the operating room due to the fact that the heart was undersized and there was a severe metabolic derangement (“Dr. James D. Hardy”). The transplant may have failed, but as Dr. Mario Barnard, the brother of Dr. Christiaan Barnard, stated Hardy proved that “the feasibility of cardiac transplantation was now irrefutable (Kirkpatrick
The lung transplant was relatively unopposed, due to the fact that the lungs were just perceived as tools that enable you to breathe. The heart was seen as the dwelling of the soul. Hardy wrote of the ignorant opposition, "At that time, the heart still carried strong emotional overtones. 'I love you with all my heart and soul,' or 'heart-felt,' or 'no heart for it,' or 'heartsick,' or 'fainthearted.' How would one lover feel, for instance, if within the other's breast beat the heart of a stranger? (Kirkpatrick 100).” Dr. Hardy argued that the heart is merely an organ in which blood is pumped. It is understandable for the public to believe that the heart served as more than just a pump, it is however unacceptable for people in the medical field to feel the same way. Dr. Hardy stated, “I was considerably depressed and had certainly learned who my friends were (they were far fewer than I’d thought) (Kirkpatrick