Medicine: One Man, Two Hearts

South African Surgeon Christiaan Neethling Barnard is a hard act to follow. Seven years ago this week, he performed history's first transplantation of a human heart. Last week he staged a surgical spectacular of about the same order: Barnard gave a patient a second heart and left the old one, or most of it, in place. For a while, at least, both hearts were working.

The patient was Ivan Taylor, 58, an engineer who entered Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital early in November. "He was in a hell of a mess," says Barnard. "Absolutely a desperate man." The problem was that...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!