Practice Makes Perfect (Edward Vernon's Practice series Book 1) by Edward Vernon

Author:Edward Vernon [Vernon, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2014-10-12T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty Five

Artificial legs have been used as replacements for missing lower limbs since the year 600 BC, and metal hands have been provided for handless patients since the sixteenth century. The artificial-organ business is now well established. Kidneys and hearts are transplanted from one human being to another, and artificial eyes and teeth have been used for centuries. A twentyfour-year-old Californian had a false right arm made for him by a team of engineers which enables him to squeeze with twice as much force as an average healthy male.

Ophthalmic surgeons are said to be working on artificial eyes made like small television cameras, which will fit into the eye sockets of the blind and transmit signals directly to the brain. There is no reason why these cameras should not be fitted with zoom lenses. Surgeons all over the world now use elastic, seamless, corrugated, indestructible artificial materials to replace diseased blood-vessels, and long-life metal is used to produce replacements for bones and joints in arthritic and accidentally damaged patients. It is possible to look through an instrument-maker’s catalogue and buy knees, hips, elbows, fingers and toes.

Medical researchers do not spend all their time pulling habits out of rats; many spend their time on work that Dr Frankenstein would have enjoyed.

Dr Oaks had no such patients on his list, but he did have Gerald Renton, the proud possessor of an artificial heart-valve.

Mr Renton had been a weak and rather spindly child, according to his medical records. His parents, eager to help him achieve a stature more in keeping with the family tradition of sporting heroes, ensured that young Gerald took part in as many sporting events as possible. The perhaps inevitable result was that he became an Olympic high-jumper, several times representing his country and frequently leaping higher than any of his competitors.

In his middle years Gerald became increasingly breathless, and it slowly became apparent that his heart was failing. A visit to a local specialist resulted in his being referred to a thoracic surgeon working at a nearby teaching hospital. The teaching hospital surgeon decided that the provision of an artificial heart-valve would solve most if not all of his problems, and in due course the valve was fitted. Gerald Renton arrived home in a blaze of glory again.

Since that day he had not moved from his living-room. A bed and commode had been installed to save the retired athlete from unnecessary effort, and an electrically driven wheelchair had been purchased to enable him to move about the living-room and attached sun-lounge without putting too much of a strain on his plastic heart-valve.

It was not at all what the surgeon had intended should happen. He had expected that Gerald would regain some of his youthful fitness and vitality; indeed, Dr Oaks’ record folder was full of letters from the surgeon and from the local physician, pointing out that they saw no reason at all why Gerald should not resume his normal activities as soon as possible.

Gerald Renton, however, was strangely satisfied with his new-found status.

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