A 1952 autopsy specimen from a 40 year old man who had no history of rheumatic fever but had been rejected for military service at the age of 17 because of his heart. First symptoms occurred at the age of 31. He had three attacks of congestive failure and had become almost bedridden. When admitted to hospital he was in moderate failure and had a high-grade pure mitral stenosis. At operation the mitral valve was heavily calcified with a minute opening. With very light pressure the valve split across the commissures completely. Unfortunately his condition rapidly deteriorated in the later stages of the operation and he did not recover.
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