Science Fair Heart Transplant
March 1968: Robert McDavid, a junior at Schulte High School in Terre Haute, Indiana, performed a heart transplant on a live rabbit for his science fair project. School administrators had approved his project. In fact, they applauded it as highly topical since the first successful human heart transplantation had been performed just the year before by the South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard.
After performing the operation, McDavid measured the length of time that the rabbit's body functioned with the new organ. He later exhibited the results of his project at the Regional Science Fair of Indiana State University and received an award for creativity in his field.
Questioned by reporters, McDavid revealed that he had prepared for the procedure by first conducting a number of practice operations, including skin grafts and bone section transplants on chickens. He said that he had also read a number of books about transplants and had conducted interviews with several physicians.
I haven't been able to track down if McDavid went on to become a surgeon.
After performing the operation, McDavid measured the length of time that the rabbit's body functioned with the new organ. He later exhibited the results of his project at the Regional Science Fair of Indiana State University and received an award for creativity in his field.
Questioned by reporters, McDavid revealed that he had prepared for the procedure by first conducting a number of practice operations, including skin grafts and bone section transplants on chickens. He said that he had also read a number of books about transplants and had conducted interviews with several physicians.
I haven't been able to track down if McDavid went on to become a surgeon.
Terre Haute Tribune - Mar 17, 1968
Comments
I found this very long obituary of Robert Finley McDavid, Jr., who presumably was his father. I'm guessing the kid who did the transplant was his oldest (probably Robert Finley McDavid III), and the first (of 13!) children listed in the obit is Finn. I also found high school sports related clippings that mention Finn McDavid in the correct time frame.
Father was a doctor, but not an MD; he had a PhD in physical education. He developed various braces for athletes and started a company to manufacture them (mcdavidusa.com). It seems that Finn went into the family business. He's listed as president here: https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.mcdavid_inc.00190bf1a453f33d10b2428d395ebdd1.html
Father was a doctor, but not an MD; he had a PhD in physical education. He developed various braces for athletes and started a company to manufacture them (mcdavidusa.com). It seems that Finn went into the family business. He's listed as president here: https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.mcdavid_inc.00190bf1a453f33d10b2428d395ebdd1.html
Posted by ges on 10/14/24 at 11:58 AM
Sorry, here's the father's obituary: https://www.callahanandhughes.com/obituaries/dr-robert-mcdavid
Posted by ges on 10/14/24 at 11:59 AM
ges -- that's good sleuthing! McDavid must be in his early 70s. Maybe one of these days he'll google himself, find this page, and provide some more details about his unique science fair project.
Posted by Alex on 10/14/24 at 03:55 PM
Looks like Finn has multiple patents for protective athletic gear https://patents.justia.com/inventor/robert-finley-mcdavid-iii
Posted by Teri on 10/14/24 at 11:29 PM
Category: School | Science | Surgery