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When we implant an artificial heart, we must remember that the neuromuscular control of the peripheral circulation is still intact. If the artificial heart pumps out the blood which is returned from the peripheral circulation to the heart; or in other words, if it responds to Starling's Law, that should be sufficient control ( Fig. 1). I know there are more extensive control schemes, but I like simple things. This means that if the venous pressure or atrial pressure rises, automatically the cardiac output increases. This also maintains balance between right and left ventricular output.Engineers would expect a so-called hunting phenomena, but it does not happen. Fig. 2 -Our first artificial heart durJ.ng implantation in a dog in December 1957. It was made of PVC. Both ventricles were contained in one housing. One can see a large soft collapsible artificial atrium to the left and the artificial pulmonary artery in front. The large opening In the housing made it possible to drive this artificial heart with either air or liquid. A dog's circulation was subtained for 90 minutes.