A noted Southern surgeon believes nothing is impossible in the medical field—that it will be only a matter of time before hearts can be replaced with motors.
This fanciful notion is entirely within the realm of possibility, said Dr. Julian K. Quattlebaum of Savannah, Ga., who addressed the 16th annual meeting of the Surgical Association of Louisiana in New Orleans. ~~
Dr. Quattlebaum, attending surgeon for the Central of Georgia Hospital and Ogle-thorpe Sanitorium, said in the ! future entire hearts will be replaced by artificial ones run by minute uranium or nuclear motors.
"AFTER ALL," he said, "the heart is just a pump. Already we have valves in the heart being replaced. So why not an entire heart?"
The visiting surgeon said medical practices of today would have been considered fantastic when he was in medical school in 1921.
"It would have been fantastic to think that we'd be going into chests and massaging hearts," said Quattlebaum. "But we are, and that's why I feel nothing is impossible in the medical field."
THE PHYSICIAN said he had
never heard of a heart replacement operation being performed.
Although the success of such an operation could mean the end of the nation's No. 1 killer, it would also create another major problem, the doctor said.
"With these rapid advances in medicine and surgery," he said, "you'll have people living longer. And they must be cared for, somehow, somewhere."
DR. QUATTLEBAUM said he considers cancer the greatest challenge to medicine.
Dr. Donald B. Williams of La-
layette was named president of the association for 1964. Dr., Reichard Kahle moved up to! the vice-presidency.
Reelected were Dr. Hugh C. Ilgenfritz, Shreveport, second vice-president; Dr. J. Morgan Lyons, treasurer, and Dr. Richard L. Buch, secretary.
Additional members named to the board of directors were Dr. Clarence E. Boyd, Shreveport; Dr. Isidore Cohn Jr., Dr. Claude C~ Craighead and Dr. Charles Mosley, Baton Rouge. PHOTO: SURGICAL ASSOCIATION OF LOUISIANA officers elected at the group's annual meeting at the Sheraton-Charles Hotel include, from left: DR, DONALD B. WILLIAMS, president; DR. RICHARD L. BUCK, secretary; DR. MORGAN LYONS, treasurer, and DR. REICHARD KAHLE, first vice-president.
