Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-07
Some Bloods Won't Mlr
From the New York Sun.

Professional blood donors, willing tor
consideration to part with pint or even more
of their blood every three months tor trans
fusion to the veins of another, are likely to be-
come a recognized economic class in conse-
quence of the improved technique and wider
knowledge concerning the operation which have
resulted from study and experiment by Ameri-
can surgeons during the war. Only FIVE years
ago the TRANSMISSION Of blood was rare opera
ton resorted to only as last resort. At the
army hospitals in France, in spite of the ditfl-
culties inherent in the conditions under which
they worked, it became almost commonplace.
Two discoveries, both made by Americans,
have served to overcome the difficulties for
merly encountered in the transfer of blood from
one person to another, and to explain the fail
ures which sometimes marked the attempt in
the earlier years of its history.
The first discovery was that mixing the
blood with suitable solution of citrate of So
dunn prevented the tendency of the blood to
cot Immediately on being exposed to the at
mosphere, and did not prevent the recipient
from obtaining all the benefits of the trans
fusion. This CLOTHING tendency of the blood had
been previously overcome to some extent by
which at least delayed the CLOTHING, but is not
absolutely certain and presents technical diff
culties even in practiced hands.
The second and even more important dis
covery made about the same time also by
American research students, was that the blood
of others, but instead that the fluid part of the
one type of blood attacks and destroys the
corpuscles of the other. The usual effect of
this reaction was simply the destruction of the
corpucles of the transfused blood, but OCCASION
ally the effect was so violent that the small
amount of blood given was enough to destroy
the corpuscles of the recipient, with fatal con-
sequences.
1t was found possible to classify individuals
into four groups which exist in constant pro-
portions OF these, the smallest group COM
prlsng about | per cent, cannot give blood to
any except persons of their own group, al
though they may safely be given any blood.
The second and largest group, comprising "a
per cent, possess blood which may be given to
anyone without bad effects. The other two
groups. of Is and 90 per cent respectively, are
mutually antagonistic; that is their blood can
only be given safely to the members of their
own group or of the first group.
The immediate effect of blood TRANSMISSION
on patient dying from loss of blood is most
startling. Within 10 minutes of beginning of
the TRANSMISSION the patient shows signs of re-
turning to life, his breathing from a series of
deep signs becomes normal, his pulse strength
ems and his gray face regains its natural color.
In the hospitals back of the battle lines in
France TRANSMISSION was likely to be a real
race with death. the margin of time being some
times as narrow as IS minutes.
There was never any difficulty in obtaining
volunteers for the Office of blood donor, for any
man took genuine pleasure in helping to save
comrade, especially when the rescue was car
ried out under his very eyes. The strength
OF the popular feeling of individuality in the
blood was shown by the tacit assumption that
no one would care to have his life saved BY an
infusion of German blood, and prisoners of war
were accordingly seldom used.