Medical milestones, landmark publications, and notable births and deaths associated with December 3.

Events

1689 — Johannes Fatio (1649-1691) performed the first recorded successful separation of conjoined twins, Elizabeth and Catherine Meyerin, in Basel. He completed a staged ligature separation of xiphopagus over nine days between November 24 and December 3.

1967 — Christiaan Neethling Barnard (1922-2001) performed the first human-to-human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital (Cape Town). Recipient Louis Washkansky survived 18 days, dying Dec 21, 1967 from pneumonia after intensified immunosuppression; autopsy found no evidence of cardiac rejection.

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Births

No major medical milestones added for this date yet — this page is being expanded

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Deaths

1896 – William Morrant Baker (1839-1896), English General Surgeon; described Baker’s cyst (1877), and Baker’s cannula

1929 – Giovanni Mingazzini (1859-1929), Italian neurologist. Described Mingazzini sign (1913) and the Mingazzini manoeuvre (1916).

1940 – John Templeton Bowen (1857-1940), American dermatologist. Described Bowen’s disease (1912), Bowenoid papulosis (BP) and Bowen’s disease of the penis (BDP)

1950 – Lewis Atterbury Conner (1867-1950), American cardiologist; described Conner sign of pericardial effusion in 1926

1951 – Charles Dettie Aaron (1866-1951), American gastroenterologist; described Aaron sign (1913)

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Further reading

• Kompanje EJ. The first successful separation of conjoined twins in 1689: some additions and corrections. Twin Res. 2004 Dec;7(6):537-41. 
• Cooper DKC. Christiaan Barnard-The surgeon who dared: The story of the first human-to-human heart transplant. Glob Cardiol Sci Pract. 2018 Jun 30;2018(2):11.

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