The Induction and Control of Hypothermia

Research, development and the maintenance of standards in heat at the National Standards Laboratory

“…The heat to be removed is of the order of a milhon calories. In an interesting collaboration between medical men, engineers and ourselves equipment and techniques were developed which allowed surgery to proceed in parallel with the removal (or provision) of heat so that the patient's temperature would be under control at all times (Cass et al, 1956). This equipment has been used on well over a hundred cases, mainly children suffering from cardiac defects, with very satisfactory results.…”

Vivian Richard Ebsary, A.M. Biomedical Engineer, Inventor, Philanthropist

“…The mid-1950s saw the next significant development. Dr Moss Cass 1 , in conjunction with Dr Alan Harper of the CSIRO Sydney Dept of Physics, approached Ebsary at his company's newly re-located premises at Brookvale, for the supply of a pump able to circulate the chilled water for a hypothermia machine they were developing at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney. There was only one problem, there was no money available for the project and could it proceed?…”