The Idea

Abstract

The treatment of many progressive life-threatening diseases is surgical removal of the affected organ. An infected and inflamed appendix is removed, so is a cancerous stomach. The body can function normally without the appendix; removal of the stomach, however, can impair digestion, but this may not be a serious disability. Diseases of organs essential to life such as both kidneys, both lungs, the heart, or the liver, cannot be treated in this way since although the damaged organs can be removed, death will result unless the function is replaced. To cure disease by restoring the function of a diseased organ by a biological graft is an ancient concept. Fig. 1 (frontispiece) is a reproduction of a painting of the legend of SS. Cosmas and Damian. The saints removed the cancerous leg from a sleeping man and replaced it with a healthy leg removed from a man who had recently died. According to the legend the transplant was a complete success. There was no outcry against the saints for unethical conduct, in fact their achievement has been praised by succeeding generations and depicted in numerous medieval paintings throughout Europe. The idea of cadaveric organ transplantation is therefore well established.