Science

Patient holds his old heart in his hands in 1968.
The first heart-transplant patient dies in January, but Dr. Christiaan Barnard's heart transpant patient, Phillip Blaiberg, is doing well. He is discharged from the hospital after 74 days. He begins "working out" on a rugby field in Cape Town, South Africa, to the consternation of his wife. Although he has lung trouble by July, he releases a book titled Looking At My Heart in December at age 59, wherein he reveals that he resumed sexual relations with his wife 20 days after leaving the hospital--"on our anniversary."

New Commercial Crop
The Farm Reporter announces "A New Commercial crop is born--the "novelty Kiwi fruit."

Cell Research
Scientists grow frogs from a single cell, taken from the lining of intestine.

Abortion
Seven highly-reputable San Francisco physicians must face hearings from the State Board of Medical Examiners on charges of performing illegal theraputic abortions. The court debates abortion and decides it's legal when there is a"grave threat to the mental or physical health of the mother, but not simply to prevent the birth of a child with a defect." In August the "abortion doctor" wins in Superior Court and his reprimand is overturned.

Cancer
The first bone-marrow grafts are performed on lukemia patients in August. The National Cancer Institute is optimistic about "control of some cancer by drugs" and lists diseases that will and won't respond to treatmetnt.

Hong Kong Flu
A massive epidemic of Hong Kong Flu has killed over 1,000 and is still prevalent in December.