PAGE TWO
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1943
KU Man Invents Medical Aid
Before the full details of the recent Cocoanut Grove holocaust were known, a manufacturer in Kansas City received an urgent request from Boston for four instruments to be used in skin grafting. Hundreds of the men and women who had escaped death in the disaster were terribly burned and faced the danger of being disfigured or crippled for life. The skin
Before the full details of the caust were known, a manufacturer urgent request from Boston for skin grafting. Hundreds of the escaped death in the disaster the danger of being disfigured grafting instrument so urgently requested was a recent invention, patented last July, by George J. Hood, professor of engineering drawing in the University School of Engineering and Architecture.
Of great value in remedying wounded soldiers, the invention is regarded as the outstanding invention of its nature during the war to date.
Invented At Doctor's Request
This instrument, called a "Dermatome," and the method of exercising skin which it employees were perfected by Professor Hood after several years of experimentation. Several years ago, Dr. Earl C. Padgett, professor of clinical surgery at the University School of Medicine in Kansas City, approached the late George C. Shaad, dean of the School of Engineering, with the request that he recommend someone who might undertake the invention of an instrument that would cut uniform skin grafts.
Dr. Padgett recognized the shortcomings of the methods then in use. Most of this work of excising skin was done freehand, and although many surgeons had developed some skill in doing this, there was a definite need for a precision instrument.
Sheenskin For Trials
Professor Hood, who was called in and offered to work on the problem, designed and made several instruments. He tried out his inventions on old sheepskin diplomas and soon was able to cut off layers of the sheepskin and even to shave off the lettering on the diplomas.
The first operation was performed successfully at Bell Memorial Hospital in Kansas City in 1938. Later in the year, Professor Hood took his instrument to the Mayo Brothers Hospital in Rochester, Minn., where he demonstrated its use cutting skin from a rabbit. He also demonstrat-ed the use of the Dermatome at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Since that time, nearly 1000 instruments have been put into use all over the world. The army and navy have ordered hundreds for use in the various hospitals. The instrument has greatly facilitated the treatment of service men burned in fires and explosions aboard ships and airplanes and in active combat on land. The Dermatome is saving legs and arms which might otherwise have been permanently crippled. Face scars also can be repaired through the use of the Dermtome with the resulting improvement in personal appearance.
The instrument as shown in the
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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1942 Active Member
The instrument, invented by Prof. George J. Hood, which is being used in hospitals for cutting uniform skin grafts.
photograph consists of a cylindrical drum with a sharp blade attached in such a way that the distance between the cylinder and the blade can be closely adjusted. The cylinder is coated with rubber cement as is the patient's skin. The cylinder is rolled on the patient's body and the cement lifts the skin. As the skin adheres to the cylinder, the knife blade, which is set to the correct thickness easily slices off a transparent layer of skin of uniform thickness and of any desired area.
Valuable For Home Accidents
The thin layer of skin is placed either in a salt solution until the area of scar tissue which it is to replace is cut away, or directly on the area where the scar tissue has just been removed. Scar tissue which is thick and leathery is also ugly and disfiguring. The area where the layer of normal skin has been removed will heal in ten days. More skin can be cut from the same area after a month has passed. The record cut from one operation is 172 square inches taken from a patient at one time. The successful grafting of skin from one person to another so far has proved to be impossible, except in the case of identical twins.
Invented By University Professor . . .
PROF. GEORGE J. HOOD
The Dermatone is not only valuable during wartime but can be used to cut skin grafts to repair bad burns received in accidents in the home and in industry. Some patients have been so badly burned that amputations of arms or legs
have heretofore been necessary. With the use of the Dermatome, many such amputations will not be needed. Grafts cut with the instruments can also be used successfully to replace birthmarks and other blemishes.
The Dermatome is not the only invention credited to Professor Hood. He has invented a process of molding cork, an autographic Kodak device which was assigned to the Eastman Kodak Company, and several types of gas engines. He is also the author of the textbook, "The Geometry of Engineering Drawing," which is used in many universities.
GRANT UNIV.---of
(continued from page one) students as specified by the Adviser of Women and Women's Student Government. They will pay for their own sustenance from the salary received during the training program. They will provide their own clothes and a few text books which will be needed in their subsequent work at the aircraft plant. All other text books and classroom supplies will be provided by the University during the training period.
The trainees will receive medical care by the University Health Service under the same conditions as other university students. A fee of $5 will be charged for this service. They will be eligible to attend regular student functions.
Participation in women's intramural sports at the University of Texas has jumped 42 per cent above 1941 levels.
Female Muscles At Texas
1943 Re-opening Thursday, Jan. 7
Wiedemann's
Under New Management Joe L. Walker
QUALITY and SERVICE
Kansan Board Elects Staff for Next Term
The Kansan Board has elected Bob Coleman, college junior, as editor-in-chief for the Daily Kansan for the next nine week period; and Ralph Coldren, college senior, was elected managing editor. John Conard, college senior was elected chairman of the Kansan Board.
JAYHAWKER
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SATURDAY
First Big Laff-Hit of '43
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Late News Events
SUNDAY—5 Days
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MAUREEN O'HARA
"THE BLACK SWAN"
Soviets Near Rostov Sector In New Surge
By International News Service
Now only 75 miles or less from the city of Rostov, Soviet troops surged forward with undiminished speed on the Caucasian front today. smashing every German attempt to counterattack and piling up formidable gains at every point of conflict.
The shifting fortunes of war cost the allies recently gained hill positions at Jebel Azzege near Mateur in Tunisia as Axis troops recaptured points taken by British commandos in a surprise attack a few weeks ago.
But military observers were not pessimistic over this tactical setback which was more than offset by the new Russian gains in the Caucasus
(continued to page seven)
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