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1961: threshold of the new nephrology
A symposium in Edinburgh on 25th March 1961 was one of the first in the UK to consider the full new range of clinical nephrology. Twin coil artificial kidney (Kolff-Travenol dialysis machine) in Edinburgh Dialysis for acute renal failure (ARF, AKI)The excitement in the first session is palpable. Nobody at this meeting was negative about…
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Twins in transplantation
Groundbreaking – and lucky to have one John Merrill shows the Herrick twins an early dialysis machine On December 23rd 1954, 24 year-old Richard Herrick became the first successful kidney transplant recipient in Boston, Massachusetts. He was lucky both to be in Boston, and to have an identical twin brother Ronald who was prepared to…
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The record holders
A few patients have been on renal replacement therapy for over 45 years The Royal Free programmeThis photograph of ‘The Lucky Thirteen’ taken in 1965 shows patients treated at the UK’s first centre for long-term dialysis at the Royal Free Hospital, London, with their consultant Dr Stanley Shaldon (centre, front row). Olga Hepple, left of…
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Transplantation takes off in the mid 1960s
Years of experimentation finally pay off Roy Calne (white coat) with dogs Tweedledee, Titus and Lollipop, recipient of the first successful long-term organ transplant, using azathioprine (Copyright of and withpermission from Sir Roy Calne – link to source) Transplantation only began to be a real prospect for patients with chronic renal failure in the mid…
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Who shall live? Patient selection for dialysis
Dustman before Duke? Title from the 1965 NBC documentary about dialysis in Seattle The first patient with end stage renal failure deliberately taken on for dialysis was Clyde Shields, who was started on treatment by Dr Belding Scribner in Seattle in 1960. A couple of years later several more patients were being kept alive in…
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The first successful transplants, 1960-70
For patients, a last throw of the dice The first human transplants were heroic operations undertaken at a time when dialysis was not a long term option. A few outstanding stories kept hopes high, but in general, the outcome of these early experiments were down heartening. Photos: Linda Phillips in 1966, at the Western General…