John Heysham Gibbon papers
Collection
Identifier: MSS 2/204
Scope and Contents
The collection contains a set of schematic drawings and plans
of the heart lung machine developed in the 1950s by the International
Business Machines Corporation for John Heysham Gibbon. The
plans are numbered, 288-0100 to 2880314 and 288-0350 to 288-0469,
and filed in numerical sequence. The collection contains 344
items.
The plans, produced from 1950 to 1954 and approved in 1954, concern Model III of the machine and incorporate minor refinements and design changes on Model II, which was the first used successfully with human patients. The Model III was the last heart lung machine built by IBM; it was smaller than the previous model and simplified. It could handle a greater blood supply as well as keep a constant volume of blood flowing through the patient. Blood temperature and pressure controls were also refined.
The heart lung machine pumped to oxygenate blood outside the body, thereby enabling a surgeon to bypass the heart. This development opened the way for all open heart surgery, repair, and transplantation.
The plans, produced from 1950 to 1954 and approved in 1954, concern Model III of the machine and incorporate minor refinements and design changes on Model II, which was the first used successfully with human patients. The Model III was the last heart lung machine built by IBM; it was smaller than the previous model and simplified. It could handle a greater blood supply as well as keep a constant volume of blood flowing through the patient. Blood temperature and pressure controls were also refined.
The heart lung machine pumped to oxygenate blood outside the body, thereby enabling a surgeon to bypass the heart. This development opened the way for all open heart surgery, repair, and transplantation.
Dates
- 1950 - 1954
Creator
- Gibbon, John Heysham, Jr. (Person)
Biographical / Historical
John Heysham Gibbon, Jr., son of physician John H. Gibbon, was
born in Philadelphia on 29 September 1903. He married Mary
("Maly") Hopkinson in 1931; they had four children. Gibbon
died on 5 February 1973.
Gibbon received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1923, then an M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in 1927. After an internship at Pennsylvania Hospital, he became a Fellow in Surgery at Harvard Medical School, 1930-1934, then a Fellow in Surgical Research at the University of Pennsylvania, 1936-1942. After service in World War II, Gibbon joined the faculty at Jefferson Medical College as professor of surgery and director of surgical research. He developed and perfected an extracorporeal heart lung machine for use during vascular surgery; it was first used successfully with a human patient at Jefferson in May 1953.
Gibbon was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Surgical Association, American Association of Thoracic Surgery, the Society for Clinical Surgery, and the Society for Vascular Surgery. He was elected to fellowship in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1934 and later served as its president.
Gibbon received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1923, then an M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in 1927. After an internship at Pennsylvania Hospital, he became a Fellow in Surgery at Harvard Medical School, 1930-1934, then a Fellow in Surgical Research at the University of Pennsylvania, 1936-1942. After service in World War II, Gibbon joined the faculty at Jefferson Medical College as professor of surgery and director of surgical research. He developed and perfected an extracorporeal heart lung machine for use during vascular surgery; it was first used successfully with a human patient at Jefferson in May 1953.
Gibbon was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Surgical Association, American Association of Thoracic Surgery, the Society for Clinical Surgery, and the Society for Vascular Surgery. He was elected to fellowship in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1934 and later served as its president.
Extent
2 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
The plans for the Gibbon Heart Lung Machine, Model III, were donated
to the Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
by Lewis Bluemle in 1983. Dr. Bluemle had received the plans
from Hans Christian Engell of Copenhagen, Denmark, who had been
given them by John Heysham Gibbon. In 1982, the plans were
used to construct a replica of the Model II heart lung machine
on display in the Mutter Museum.
The plans were transferred to the Historical Collections in 1991 and processed and catalogued.
The plans were transferred to the Historical Collections in 1991 and processed and catalogued.
Creator
- Gibbon, John Heysham, Jr. (Person)
- Title
- John Heysham Gibbon papers
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Repository
