1917/12/15 by JOHN M. BLACKFORD
Medicine · #Cardiac, Anesthesia and Surgical Outcomes
paper · doi:10.1001/jama.1917.02590510003003
General impressions of operative risk in cardiac disease are scattered throughout medical literature, but we have been unable to find any summary of results in a given series of cases. The failure to report such results must be due largely to two reasons: first, the difficulty of accurately classifying cardiopaths into similar groups, and second, the fact that in ordinary work few observers have an opportunity to study any series of such patients needing surgical treatment. These reasons are sufficient to make us feel some temerity in reporting a series of such cases, and yet we feel that such a report may throw some light on the subject. Experience here has taught us that the best measure of operative risk in cardiac disease is a good clinical impression of the patient's ability to stand physical strain, in addition, of course, to a good history and a physical examination. Cases in