20 Facts About Louis Washkansky

Louis Joshua Washkansky was a South African man who was the recipient of the world's first human-to-human heart transplant, and the first patient to regain consciousness following the operation.

Louis Washkansky was the second human recipient of a heart transplant overall, in that James Hardy had done a transplant in 1964 in which Boyd Rush received a chimpanzee's heart, although the patient in that case only survived an hour and did not regain consciousness.

Louis Washkansky was a Lithuanian Jew, the youngest of the four children of Abe Louis Washkansky and his wife, Chana Yentel Kemelgor.

In 1912, when Louis Washkansky was three months old, his father emigrated to South Africa without his family and started a business as a produce merchant.

Louis Washkansky attended Cape Town High School, where he passed the standard eight, before entering the grocery business in Cape Town.

Louis Washkansky saw active service in World War II in East and North Africa and Italy.

Louis Washkansky's health declined substantially: he was diabetic, and had an incurable heart disease, causing him to suffer three heart attacks.

Louis Washkansky was first seen by Barry Kaplan, who in July 1966 had asked if Christiaan Barnard would be willing to treat Washkansky.

Barnard had performed a number of laboratory tests and an in-depth examination on Louis Washkansky and came to the conclusion that nothing could be done to help him.

In January 1967, Louis Washkansky was referred to Mervyn Gotsman, a cardiologist at the Cardiac Clinic in Groote Schuur Hospital, due to refractory heart failure.

Louis Washkansky underwent cardiac catheterisation confirming severe heart failure, and was referred to Barnard for possible surgery.

Louis Washkansky was re-admitted to Groote Schuur on 14 September 1967, which was the Jewish New Year.

When Barnard met with Louis Washkansky, Barnard explained the possibility of a transplant and Louis Washkansky was agreeable to the possibility.

Louis Washkansky, who had been cleaned and shaved for the possible attempt, felt let down and disappointed when it did not go forward.

Louis Washkansky received his heart transplant on 3 December 1967, at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.

Louis Washkansky showed no sign of pain when ice water was poured in her ear.

Louis Washkansky had been at the scene of the original accident and had been sedated after being brought to the hospital.

Louis Washkansky began to cry and decided what needed to be done.

Louis Washkansky composed himself and summoned the doctors back to the small room.

Louis Washkansky told them that if they could not save his daughter, they must try to save this man.