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Story
February 4, 1938
The Weekly Gazette
East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
What is this article about?
In Wadsworth, Ohio, 37-year-old Joseph Somak survived a fish fork puncturing his heart twice during a scuffle at a fish fry. Dr. J. G. Blower from Akron performed emergency surgery, draining blood and sewing the wounds, leading to expected recovery barring infection.
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Heart Punctures Mended in Miracle of Surgery
Wadsworth, Ohio.-Joseph Somak, a thirty-seven-year-old match worker, owes his life to a miracle of surgery in which his heart—punctured in two places by a fish fork—was mended by a skilled surgeon.
In a scuffle at a fish fry the sharp-tined fork pierced Somak's chest. The prongs were driven through the chest wall, through the pericardium—the membrane that surrounds the heart—and pierced the heart muscle itself.
At Wadsworth Memorial hospital Somak grew weaker as an increasing mass of blood flooded the pericardium and pressed against the heart. An emergency call was placed for Dr. J. G. Blower, Akron (Ohio) surgeon.
Doctor Blower opened the chest wall and loosened the third, fourth and fifth ribs, lifting them up like the cover of a book. Draining a pint and a half of blood from the pericardium, he sewed up the two punctures in Somak's slowly beating heart. Then he closed the pericardium and put the ribs back into their normal position.
Physicians at the hospital said Somak would recover unless a chest infection developed.
Wadsworth, Ohio.-Joseph Somak, a thirty-seven-year-old match worker, owes his life to a miracle of surgery in which his heart—punctured in two places by a fish fork—was mended by a skilled surgeon.
In a scuffle at a fish fry the sharp-tined fork pierced Somak's chest. The prongs were driven through the chest wall, through the pericardium—the membrane that surrounds the heart—and pierced the heart muscle itself.
At Wadsworth Memorial hospital Somak grew weaker as an increasing mass of blood flooded the pericardium and pressed against the heart. An emergency call was placed for Dr. J. G. Blower, Akron (Ohio) surgeon.
Doctor Blower opened the chest wall and loosened the third, fourth and fifth ribs, lifting them up like the cover of a book. Draining a pint and a half of blood from the pericardium, he sewed up the two punctures in Somak's slowly beating heart. Then he closed the pericardium and put the ribs back into their normal position.
Physicians at the hospital said Somak would recover unless a chest infection developed.
What sub-type of article is it?
Medical Curiosity
Survival
Extraordinary Event
What themes does it cover?
Recovery
Survival
What keywords are associated?
Heart Puncture
Emergency Surgery
Fish Fork Injury
Miracle Recovery
Pericardium Repair
What entities or persons were involved?
Joseph Somak
Dr. J. G. Blower
Where did it happen?
Wadsworth, Ohio
Story Details
Key Persons
Joseph Somak
Dr. J. G. Blower
Location
Wadsworth, Ohio
Story Details
Joseph Somak's heart was punctured twice by a fish fork in a scuffle at a fish fry; Dr. Blower performed emergency surgery to drain blood and repair the wounds at Wadsworth Memorial Hospital, with expected recovery.