1982 Year in Review

Patrice Secora: In October, there was fear in the home of every American after it was learned that seven Chicago area residents died after taking cyanide-laced Tylenol Capsules. Their deaths prompted a massive product recall by Johnson and Johnson, the makers of the painkiller.

Unknown Speaker: “We have taken step to remove from Chicago area, all existent Tylenol capsules.”

Patrice Secora: Thousands of bottles of Tylenol were removed from supermarket shelves and shifted to laboratories for testing. Illinois authorities found themselves involved in one of the largest law enforcement efforts in history to find the person or persons responsible. There was copycat incidents that followed the Tylenol scar, involving eye drops, mouth washes and other over the counter products, prompting a government move requiring tamper proof packaging on over the counter drugs. On December 2nd, doctors at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City implanted the world's first permanent artificial heart. The patient was Barney Clark, a 61-year old retired dentist from Seattle. The operation was a success and medical history was made.