The Lone Eagle and the Lab
Vernon Perry's Monkey Heart That Came Back to Life
How a Navy researcher's letter to Charles Lindbergh revealed a medical marvel
Introduction: A Startling Discovery in Bethesda
In September 1966, a remarkable experiment took place at the Navy Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. Lieutenant Vernon P. Perry and his team placed a monkey's heart into a peculiar glass apparatus—a perfusion pump designed decades earlier by none other than Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator. They expected to observe biochemical changes, but what happened next was extraordinary: after one hour of perfusion, the heart began beating again with strong, synchronous contractions. It continued beating for six hours 6 .
This fascinating convergence of aviation history and medical research forms the legacy of Vernon P. Perry (1927-1990), a dedicated Navy medical researcher whose work bridged decades of scientific innovation. His story reveals how cross-disciplinary collaboration and relentless curiosity can lead to unexpected medical breakthroughs, even those that literally bring life back from stillness.
Heart Revival
Monkey heart resumed beating after one hour of perfusion
Six Hours
The heart continued beating for six hours with strong contractions
Collaboration
Cross-disciplinary work between aviation and medicine
The Visionary Partnership: Lindbergh and Carrel
The origins of Perry's experiment trace back to a personal crisis in 1929. Charles Lindbergh's sister-in-law was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease, a condition with a poor prognosis at the time due to the inability to perform surgery on a beating heart. Frustrated by this limitation, Lindbergh "made up his mind to design a pump capable of circulating blood through the body while the heart was being repaired" 6 .
Despite having no formal medical training—he had briefly studied engineering at the University of Wisconsin before leaving school—Lindbergh possessed an innovative mind unencumbered by conventional wisdom about what was impossible in medical science 6 .
Lindbergh eventually connected with Dr. Alexis Carrel of the Rockefeller Institute, a French physician and scientist who had won the 1912 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work on blood vessel suture techniques 6 . Carrel had been attempting to maintain organs alive outside the body but faced persistent challenges with bacterial contamination.
Their collaboration faced skepticism from Carrel's colleagues, who "feared sensational publicity" and questioned "the introduction of an amateur to the select ranks of medical investigator" 6 . Despite this, they began working together anonymously, with Lindbergh publishing his early findings without attribution.
The Perfusion Pump Breakthrough
Lindbergh's masterpiece was an all-glass perfusion system that could maintain "a sterile pulsating circulation through living organs for a length of time limited only by the condition of the organ and the perfusion fluid" 6 . The ingenious design addressed numerous technical challenges:
- Aseptic environment: The system had only three openings to the exterior, all protected against infection by cotton filters
- Precise control: It allowed adjustment of pulsation pressures, pulsation rate, and temperature
- Observability: Researchers could view the tissues microscopically during experiments
- Flexibility: Organs and perfusion fluid could be added or removed without interrupting operations 6
Perry's Pivotal Experiment: Methodology
When Vernon Perry began his work with the Lindbergh pump three decades later, he followed a meticulous experimental procedure:
Experimental Setup
- Organ selection: Researchers obtained a heart from a monkey and carefully placed it in the perfusion chamber of Lindbergh's pump
- System preparation: The all-glass apparatus was sterilized and the perfusion fluid was prepared
- Environmental control: The temperature, gas mixture, and pressure parameters were calibrated to mimic physiological conditions
- Monitoring systems: Equipment was set up to observe pH changes and cardiac activity 6
Step-by-Step Experimental Procedure
Organ Preparation
The monkey heart was surgically removed and transferred to the perfusion apparatus under sterile conditions
System Connection
The organ was connected to the perfusion system, ensuring no contamination occurred
Circulation Initiation
Circulation of the specialized perfusion fluid began at room temperature with precise pressure control
Continuous Monitoring
Researchers continuously monitored the organ for signs of metabolic activity and contraction
Parameter Measurement
pH levels and other biochemical parameters were measured at regular intervals
Visual Observation
Visual observation was maintained to detect any spontaneous muscular activity 6
Essential Research Materials
Perry's experiment relied on specialized materials and reagents that enabled the successful perfusion and observation of the monkey heart.
| Solution/Component | Function | Importance in Perry's Experiment |
|---|---|---|
| Perfusion Fluid | Mimics blood composition; delivers nutrients and removes wastes | Provided oxygen and nutrients to maintain myocardial metabolism |
| Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide-Nitrogen Mix | Oxygenates perfusate; controls pH through carbon dioxide concentration | Maintained physiological oxygen tension and acid-base balance |
| Pyrex Glass Apparatus | Provides sterile, non-reactive environment for perfusion | Prevented bacterial contamination and toxic reactions |
| Cotton Filters | Sterile filtration of gases entering the system | Prevented microbial contamination while allowing gas exchange |
| Pressure Regulation System | Maintains pulsatile flow mimicking natural circulation | Created physiological perfusion pressures for capillary flow |
Remarkable Results and Analysis
The Unexpected Outcome
Perry and his team initially aimed to observe pH changes in the media after prolonged perfusion. Instead, they witnessed something extraordinary: "after one hour of perfusion at room temperature, the heart began to beat independent of the pulsation of your pump" 6 .
As Perry excitedly reported to Lindbergh: "I don't mean that the heart merely fibrillated; there were strong synchronous auricular ventricular contractions. The heart continued to beat for six hours..." 6 .
Scientific Significance
This unexpected result demonstrated several groundbreaking principles:
Preservation of Function
Organs could maintain or regain function outside the body under proper conditions
Metabolic Recovery
The heart tissue had sufficient nutrient delivery and waste removal to support contractile activity
Practical Potential
The findings suggested possible applications for organ transplantation and cardiac research
Key Experimental Findings
| Parameter Observed | Expected Result | Actual Outcome | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiac Activity | No spontaneous contraction | Strong, synchronous beating for 6 hours | Demonstrated functional recovery |
| Duration of Viability | Short-term metabolic maintenance | Extended functional preservation | Suggested potential for organ storage |
| Contraction Quality | Fibrillation if any activity | Coordinated auricular-ventricular contractions | Indicated intact conduction system |
Legacy and Modern Applications
From Historical Innovation to Contemporary Medicine
The work of Perry and his predecessors laid crucial groundwork for modern medical technologies. While Lindbergh's original pump wasn't directly used in human surgeries, the principles it demonstrated influenced the development of:
Heart-lung Machines
Essential for open-heart surgery, allowing surgeons to operate on a still heart while maintaining circulation.
Organ Preservation
Critical for transplantation medicine, extending the viability of donor organs outside the body.
Tissue Engineering
Used in regenerative medicine research to grow and maintain tissues for therapeutic applications.
Vernon Perry's Lasting Contribution
Vernon P. Perry continued his work at the Navy Medical Research Institute, contributing to the field of tissue culture and preservation. His obituary, published in In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology, notes his passing in 1990, acknowledging his dedicated service as LCDR MSC USN (Ret) and his contributions to science 9 .
Timeline of Organ Perfusion Development
| Year | Scientist(s) | Contribution | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early 1800s | Julien-Jean-Cesar Legallois | Theorized artificial circulation | Proposed concept of substituting injection for heart function |
| 1930s | Charles Lindbergh & Alexis Carrel | Developed first successful glass perfusion pump | Enabled extended organ culture outside body |
| 1966 | Vernon P. Perry | Demonstrated functional recovery of primate heart | Showed potential for organ preservation and resuscitation |
| 1953 | Dr. John Gibbons | First successful cardiopulmonary bypass on patient | Direct clinical application of perfusion principles |
The story of Vernon Perry's experiment with Lindbergh's perfusion pump represents more than a fascinating historical anecdote. It illustrates the unpredictable nature of scientific discovery—how a experiment designed to measure pH changes could instead reveal the remarkable resilience of life.
The collaboration between Lindbergh (the innovative aviator), Carrel (the Nobel-winning scientist), and Perry (the dedicated Navy researcher) demonstrates how cross-pollination between fields can generate breakthroughs. Their work on organ perfusion, spanning decades, helped establish foundational principles that continue to influence medical science today, reminding us that today's experimental curiosity often becomes tomorrow's standard of care.