The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-03-01
CAN WE BORROW BLOOD

In contemplating the loss of blood from wounds
or hemorrhage and in noting how the vital powers
ebb as the blood flows out, naturally led to
ask whether the peril may not be avoided by pour
ing in fresh blood The idea of TRANSMISSION is, in
deed, very ancient. But the ancents, in spite Of
their facile creduty to the effect of any physiolo
g!cal experiments, were in condition to make
the experiment They too unacquainted
with physiology and with the art of experiment to
know how to set about TRANSMISSION. Not until the
middle Of the seventecth century had preparation
been made for such trial. The experiments Of
Boyle, Graaf and Fracassat on the injection Of
various substances into the veins of animals, were
crowned by those Of Lower, who, in 1863 injected
blood into the veins of dog. Two years later, a
bodcr attempt was made A French
mathematician, named Denis, assisted by a sur
geon, having reported with success the expert
ments of Lower, resolved to extend the new idea
1t was difficult to get human patient on whom the
plan could be tried, but one evening madman
arrived i'll Paris quite naked and he was daringly
seized by Denis the fitting subject for the new
experiment. Eight ounces of calfs blood were
transferred in his veins. That night he slept we'll
The experiment was repeated on the succeeding
day; he slept quietly, and awoke sane.
"Great was the sensation produced by this sue
cess. Lower and King emboldened to repeat
it in London. They found healthy man willing
to have some blood drawn from him, and replaced
by that of sheep. lie felt the warm stream
pouring in, and declared that it pleasant
that they might repeat the experiment. The til
dings few over Europe. In Italy and Germany
the plan was repeated, and it now seemed as if
! TRANSMISSION would become more Of the 'heroic
arms Of medicine. These hopes were soon dash
cd. The patient on whom Denis had operated
again went mad, was again treated with transiu-
sion and died during the operation. The son Of
the Swedish minister, who had been benefited
by TRANSMISSION, pershcd after a second. A
third death was assigned to similar cause; and
in April, 1868, the Parliament Of Paris made it
criminal to attempt TRANSMISSION, except with the
consent of the faculty Of Paris. Thus the whole
thing fell into discredt, to be revived again in
our day, and to be placed, at last, on scientific
basis.
at will Immediately occur to the Psychologist
who reads the accounts OF these eXpel lmcnts,
that TRANSMISSION was effected the suppostion
that the blood of all quadrupcds the same
and that it was indifferent whether a man rccev
ed the blood of another OF sheep calf
This supposition was altogether erroneous. The
more rigorous Investigations of the lnodcrns have
established that only the blood of animals of the
same species can be transflscd in large quantities
without fatal results The blood OF horse is
poison in the veins of deg; the blood of sheep
is poison in the veins Of cat; but the blood of a
horse will revive the fainting ass. From this it
follows that when TRANSMISSION is rracticcd On hui
man beings, human blood must be employed, and
SO employed, the practice is in some urgent cases
not only safe, but forms the sole remedy"
se1g~ Ger. Joseph Lane, who has just taken a
seat in the United States Senate, from Oregon,
WAS horn in North Tarolina and went to X Kentucky