|
medpundit |
||
 |
 |
|
Monday, December 30, 2002On Sept. 11, 1942, aboard the submarine Seadragon at a depth of 120 feet in the China Sea, Pharmacist's Mate Wheeler Lipes joined with a group of officers — none of whom was a doctor — for what was apparently the first major surgical operation ever in a submerged submarine. In an operation that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes, using a tea strainer covered with gauze as an ether mask and spoons as muscle retractors, they successfully removed the appendix of a crewman from Kansas, Darrell Dean Rector, who had been stricken the previous day. "One by one, the sponges came out. One by one, the tablespoons, bent into right angles, were withdrawn and returned to the galley. At the end it was the skipper who nudged Lipes and pointed to the tally of bent tablespoons. One was missing. Lipes reached into the incision for the last time and withdrew the wishboned spoon and closed the incision. "They even had the tool ready to cut off the thread. It was a pair of fingernail scissors, well scalded in water and torpedo juice. "At that moment, the last can of ether went dry. They lifted up Rector and carried him into the bunk of Lieutenant Charles K. Miller of Williamsport, Pa. Lieutenant Miller alone had control of the ship as diving officer during the operation. "It was half an hour after the last tablespoon had been withdrawn that Rector opened his eyes. His first words were, `I'm still in there pitching.' " Now that's impressive. posted by Sydney on 12/30/2002 08:15:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
|
