One of the worst transplant experiments was carried out by Vladimir Demikhov. In 1954, the public got acquainted with his creation - a two-headed dog. The head and front paws of a small dog were sewn onto the body of an adult shepherd dog. From the outside, everything looked terrifying and unnatural. It was noticed that the little dog did not have his own stomach, because when he tried to drink milk, droplets flowed from the chopped off part. Also, the dogs could not get along together and tried to get rid of each other.
What prompted the scientist to undertake such an experiment?
Experiment "Dog with two heads" is transplantology in practice. The term was brought out by Demikhov himself and tried to reveal its essence to the world. There was a need for this innovation, since the human body tends to fade away, and some organs do it much faster. Transplanting an organ or body part to a person in order to return it to its previous state is by no means an unnecessary procedure.
Medicine, which was underdeveloped at that time in the Soviet space, could not give such a term, so the scientist did it. The consistency of the procedure was almost proven at that time in Demikhov's experiment "Dog with two heads".
Vladimir Petrovich Demikhov
The future surgeon is a native of Russia, Kuliki farm. His mother, Domnika Alexandrovna, although she raised three children without a father, still tried to do everything possible for them. That is why all three had higher education.
Initially, the man learned the basics of the profession of a repairman in the FZU. Later, Demikhov studied at the Faculty of Biology at Moscow State University. He was attracted to this side of life, so he began his activities early. His interest in science was fascinating, because, as a student, Demikhov had already designed a heart implant for a dog, which, unfortunately, survived only a couple of hours with him.
The Second Patriotic War delayed his development in the field of science.
After graduation, Demikhov began working at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Surgery, where he performed operations unlike any other.
A year after the war, Vladimir Petrovich accomplished something unprecedented: he was able to transplant a cardiopulmonary complex. The discovery was sensational. He also experimented with liver replacement.
When a donor heart transplanted to a dog began to work, it turned the minds of those times upside down, because the procedure proved the possibility of replacing a human heart.
Later he worked very productively at the Institute of Emergency Medicine. Sklifosovsky, where he was able to defend his PhD anddoctoral dissertation. It was there that a series of experiments called "A Dog with Two Heads" took place, which could pave the way for the development of transplantology.
In 1998, the honorary scientist, who received many awards, died. In honor of him, a monument was erected in Moscow in the new building of the research institute.
The essence of the experiment
For the operation, stray dogs were chosen - one small and the other large. The latter was the main one, and the small dog played the role of a secondary head. Her entire lower body was removed, leaving only the paws, neck, and head itself. An incision was made on the neck of a large dog, where another head was subsequently sewn. The vertebrae of the dogs were held together with special strings so that they moved as a single organism.
The most productive operations lasted no more than 3.5 hours. There were about 24 procedures in total. The final for all organisms was disappointing - a dog with two heads died. The longest lifespan for dogs is 29 days, and for Demikhov, this was a significant breakthrough.
The two-headed dog in the photo looks promising, but too intimidating. This experience will seem cruel to many people, but such is the difficult fate of developing medicine. Moreover, there were other cases of transplantation and transplantation, which frightened even more, but did not bring anything significant. Demikhov, on the other hand, provided a number of results useful for mankind, which are still used today.
Dog with two heads: mythology
In the mythology of Ancient Greece there is a story about a certain monster Orpheus. It was born by Typhon and Echidna, according to some sources, while others say that his mother is a Chimera.
Orff looks like a terrible creature with two dog heads and a snake instead of a tail. It is clearly described in the 10 feat of Hercules. A dog with two heads acted as a protector of the wonderful "red bulls".
Creation, judging by the descriptions and statements, most likely existed before the Hellenistic period and was important for people.
Results of the experiment
These experiments spurred the subsequent development of transplantology and medicine in general. An unprecedented event helped develop a special system for replacing organs, in particular, the heart.
Today, thanks to the research of Vladimir Demikhov, many doctors reach new heights. Neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero, studying the data, says that soon the procedure for brain transplantation will become commonplace. It is calculated that everything will take place in China. Such a discovery will help save the lives of many people.
Some doctors are skeptical not only about possible innovations in medicine, but also about Demikhov's activities.
If you look at everything objectively, then Vladimir Petrovich's incredible contribution to domestic and world science cannot be ignored.
Have there been analogues in the history of this experiment?
Head transplant is an operation that has already been performed before Demikhov. In 1908French surgeon Alexis Carrel, together with an American physiologist Charles Guthrie, attempted a similar operation. A dog with two heads is a result that seemed achievable to them. This, unfortunately, did not happen. The creature showed signs of life, but was soon put to sleep as it degraded.
Also, the method was used to perform the procedure with monkeys. The idea appeared in 1970 with the scientist Robert White. When one animal was decapitated, scientists ensured a constant flow of blood to the brain so that it would not die. In the end, the operation was successful, but the monkeys were only able to live for a few days.
In the 2000s, the Japanese tried to make their contribution to transplantology. The procedure was carried out on rats. Little is known about the results, but it is reported that the spinal cord was successfully connected due to low temperatures.
