Correspondence between Alfred Blalock and Robert S. Litwak, 1955

              September 7,  195>t>
Dr.  pobort S.  Litwak
Bailey Thoracic Clinic
2h9 Aorth  -road Street
Philadelphia 6,  Pennsylvania
Pear Doctor Litwak:
You are correct Inv^oitrPstaiejiient that. Dr. Horace Smithy was
quite interested ingthe treatotijnteof aortic stenosis as well as mitral stenosis.
Unfortunately, he himself rjaeimngjrtic stenosis, of .rather severe, degree.    He had
performed many experiments irr^michohe attempted etc Perfect a . technie  for an
attack on the  aortie:'valve,   dta^some instances  the aortic valve was approached
through the left ventricle and In others through the aorta.    I believe he concluded from his work on dogs tfeqyt ¥^feeaQ3?£lro:&]?p&3cfc^woirldbiha tetter,
:-ic etii     ;e? si--l■->■■*.■.■<- vec-'-'- -e - -^
Horace Smithy came to Baltimore several months before his death
with the idea that we might deem It feasible to operate upon him, I urged him
to try his procedure on a patient in order that I might become more familiar with
it.  A patient who had consulted hire in Charleston, but who lived in Hew fork,
was advised to come to Baltimore for en operation which w r to re performed ty
Dr. Smithy, This patient had severe aortic stenosis. Unfortunately, cardiac
arrest occurred v/hile he was Ieing anesthetized and the heart could not 1
be
revived. This effort discouraged me end I advised Dr. Smithy to wait for awhile
before having an operation performed on himself. Unfortunately, a month or
two later he developed a respiratory infection and died.
AH: hi
I hope this is the information that you desire,
Septembeu Sincerely yours,
^\^-,-   !'\. Alfred Blalock, M. D.
it 'i(i  1 .