ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The first successful human renal allograft was performed in Boston by Merrill and Murray on 23 December 1954. Preceding this had been many unsuccessful animal and even human transplants. Only two things had been learned from this early work; firstly, how vessels could be successfully anastomosed, and, secondly, that transplantation between non-related individuals was impossible. The Boston transplant was successful because it was between identical twin brothers, and it was not until immunosuppressive drugs became available that transplantation could really develop.
