While some are splashing in the bath*…How a Zabaikalye** man cut out his appendix

This story took place back in 1961, in Antarctica. 27 year old doctor, Leonid Rogozov participated in the 6th Soviet expedition to Antarctica, when the Soviet  Novolazarevskaya Antarctica station was found. On the 29th of April 1961, Leonid Rogozov became ill. His symptoms were: weakness, nausea, a high temperature and pains to the right side of his body. The experienced surgeon straight-away identified that he had acute appendicitis. As he was the only doctor at the station and it was non-flying weather, he decided to do the operation himself. On the night of April 30th, with the help of a meteorologist passing instruments and a driver holding a mirror, the doctor used a local anesthetic on himself and began the operation which lasted for two hours and was only interrupted when Leonid Rogozov lost his consciousness. Yet, the operation was successful and Leonid Rogozov became known around the world. In 1963, Vladimir Vysotsky dedicated a song to him. Leonid Rogozov passed away in Saint Petersburg, in 2000.

Photo: Leonid Rogozov on return from an Antarctic expedition.

While some are splashing in the bath* –  a line from Vladimir Vysotsky’s song, devoted to Leonid Rogozov

Zabaykalye**, a South Siberian region, also known as Trans Baikal, also a native land for authors of this blog. 

Vladimir Vysotsky*** – famous Soviet bard. In many of his songs he chanted the heroism of ordinary people.

Adopted translation  from:  http://albert-motsar.livejournal.com/, a blog from Zabaikalye on history, culture and surrounding land.