Medicine: How to Revive the Dead

If, during an operation, a patient’s pulse suddenly stops because of anesthesia, a surgeon injects adrenalin directly into his heart. Sometimes he recovers, usually he dies. Noted Surgeon Hamilton Bailey of London’s Royal Northern Hospital believes that adrenalin alone does no good. In a recent issue of the British Medical Journal he offered a drastic suggestion: cut open the patient’s chest and massage his heart immediately, without waiting to try adrenalin.

During 22 years of surgical practice, Dr. Bailey has massaged 40 “dead” hearts. Four came back to life. But he is positive that the other 36 patients died because massage was begun too late. “Do not waste time injecting adrenalin,” he warned his colleagues. Massage must be started at the earliest possible moment after the heart stops.

Dr. Bailey’s routine: an incision is made just below the breastbone. The surgeon strokes the heart from below the diaphragm, “with quick forcible movement for half a minute.” He withdraws his hand for a minute while the anesthetist injects adrenalin, then makes a bigger opening, starts squeezing the heart.

Concluded Dr. Bailey: “Massage—earlier massage—is the life-giver; adrenalin is its handmaiden.”