come an accepted medical practice after the Baby
Fae case, and even research related to such trans-
plantation became heavily regulated by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA).
Further Reading
Bailey, Leonard, et al. “Baboon-to-Human Cardiac
Xenotransplantation in a Neonate.”The Journal of
the American Medical Association254, no. 23 (De-
cember, 1985): 3321–3329.
Sharp, Lesley. “Human, Monkey, Machine.” InBodies,
Commodities, and Biotechnologies: Death, Mourning,
and Scientific Desire in the Realm of Human Organ
Transfer, edited by Sharp. New York: Columbia
University Press, 2006.
Elisabeth Faase
See also Abortion; Artificial heart; Fetal medicine;
Genetics research; Health care in Canada; Health
care in the United States; Medicine; Science and
technology.
Baby Jessica rescue
The Event A toddler trapped in a well is rescued
on live television
Date October 14-16, 1987
Place Midland, Texas
The dramatic rescue of Baby Jessica, trapped in an aban-
doned well, transfixed the nation for several days. The bur-
geoning field of cable news television enabled Americans to
follow this stor y of peril and triumph around the clock.
On the morning of October 14, 1987, twenty-two-
month-old Jessica McClure was playing at her aunt’s
house in Midland, Texas. While her mother’s atten-
tion was diverted, Jessica fell into an abandoned well
in the backyard and became wedged in the shaft,
twenty-two feet below ground. Emergency person-
nel responded quickly, and within hours dozens of
people were on hand to help with the rescue of
“Baby Jessica.”
The story rapidly grew beyond the confines of the
small Texas town. Coverage of the event was unprec-
edented. Whereas this type of human-interest story
had always been considered newsworthy, exposure
was generally limited to short segments on local and
national evening news broadcasts. However, the
fledgling Cable News Network (CNN) provided
twenty-four-hour coverage of the toddler’s plight,
allowing the entire country to watch as the drama
unfolded. As news of Baby Jessica’s ordeal spread,
volunteers descended on Midland to offer their aid;
firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and con-
struction workers all came to lend equipment or a
helping hand. Others helped by sending monetary
contributions or messages of moral support.
The mouth of the well was only eight inches in di-
ameter, preventing many traditional rescue tools
from being used to free the trapped child. After
much discussion, rescue crews decided that, instead
of trying to widen the shaft, they would dig another
hole alongside the well. Through the larger tunnel,
the rescuers hoped to break into the well and re-
trieve Jessica. In an effort to keep the toddler calm,
rescuers entertained Jessica by talking and singing to
her. Jessica did not seem overly frightened by her sit-
uation; throughout the ordeal, she sang nursery
rhymes, slept periodically, and only rarely cried.
Rescuers worked tirelessly for almost three days.
Finally, after Jessica had spent fifty-eight hours in
the well, the world watched as paramedic RobertThe Eighties in America Baby Jessica rescue 85
Baby Jessica is cradled safely in the arms of a rescue worker, after
spending three days trapped in an abandoned well.(AP/Wide
World Photos)