P. T. Barnum's New Heart Stops

Philip T. Barnum, 50, of Kalamazoo, gan's first heart transplant recipiënt, died at 10 a.m. today at University Hospital. He received his new heart at the local hospital 15 months ago. U-M doctors said death resulted from a combination of rejection and infection. Barnum had been admitted to University Hospital on Nov. 5 to be treated for an infection that liad brought him back to Ann Arbor on other occasions since his transplant surgery Sept. 20-21, 1968. The former head of the state automobile license bureau in Kalamazoo received the heart of Herman Opdenhofi, 37, of Pontiac in an operation th;it starbed at 11:48 p.m. on Sept. 20 last year and ended at 5:15 a.m. the next day. Opdenhoff died of a massive brain hemorrhage. Michigan's two other heart transplant recipients are reported doing well. Donald L. Kaminski, 39, of Alpena who received a new heart at University Hospital on Dec. 2, 1968, is pheasant hunting in Iowa and has been pursuing outdoor sports ever since his discharge from the hospital on Feb. 7. Kaminski has told doctors that "I never feit better." Gerald K. Rector, 43, formerly of Livonia and now of near Kalamazoo, who received a new heart at University Hospital on March 16, "is doing very well" at nis home, physicians said. A spokesman for the U-M heart transplant team which is headed by Dr. Donald R. Kahn, professor of surgery, said today of Mr. Barnum's death: "We share the Barnum family's grief over his death. During the past 15 months we have admired the whole family for its courage and good humor in a time of stress. "We are pleased that the heart transplant was able to give Mr. Barnum 15 months of life that he probably would not otherwise have had. "He lived to see his youngest daughter gradúate from high school and to see his son marry, but this was not the only benefit of the heart transplant. We at the University of Michigan Medical Center also profited by the operation, and the thinjgve continue to learn from such takings we hope will someday make organ transplants a frequent and useful means of prolonging and improving human life. "We will continue to transplant hearts when patients and donors can be well matched and there is reasonable hope for success." Mr. Barnum's former heart was afflicted with cardiac myopaüiy or degeneration of the heart muscle. He was reported to be near death at the time of the transplant, and had been transferred from Ann Arbor Veteran's Hospital on Aug. 8 of last year to University Hospital for the specific purpose of receiving a new heart when a donor became available. His recovery following surgery was slower than that of the two later heart transplant recipients. He wasn't listed in "good" condition until five days after the surgery. Mr. Barnum was discharged from University Hospital on Deel 23 last year in time to celébrate Christmas at his Kalamazool home. Funeral arrangements are feiplete.