In 1916, Jay McLean and William Henry Howell announced the discovery of heparin. First isolated from liver tissue, it became the oldest anticoagulant still widely used in clinical medicine. Its later purification made modern treatment of thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and clot prevention possible.

The discovery of heparin in 1916 belongs to the hidden infrastructure that allows many people to survive illnesses that once abruptly ended creative lives. Its story connects bodily danger, recovery, and the extra years in which art may still be made, inspiring poets to explore themes of survival.