Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-03-20

direct method using sodium citrate TO
prevent coagulation, was decided upon.
Also type of apparatus was devised
to serve as a model for the standard
outfit. This apparatus was maze OF
glass bottles glass tubing, rubber stop
pers and rubber tubing. Very little
skilled work was required in prepar-
ing large number of the sets. AL
the central medical laboratory the out
fits were prepared and put up In car
rying cases. Every officer who took
the course of instruction there was
sent out with set ready for use. In
blood TRANSMISSION, besides the danger
of coagulatiOn, there are other equal
" important conditions that may De
harmful and must be taken into con-
siderntion. OF these, two are of prin-
cipal importance.
First, there is the danger OF the
transmission Of disease through the
medium of the transfused blood. An
Individual who Is suffering from such
disease, of which malaria and syphl"
lis are examples, must never be used
as a donor
Second. there is the possible biologi'
cal incompatbility between two bloods'
How 1t ls Done.
In order to see the machinery In Op"
Grafton. let ~ say that man In
condition of shock Is brought into an
evacuation hospital near the battle
line. He is unconscious, cold, has
low blood pressure, and has suffered
considerable blood loss before the flow
had been stopped at the advance post.
He Is put in ii special shock ward ana
on Il special shock bed. The ward is
warm, quiet resttnl and well venti-
lated. As for the bed, that accentu-
ates these conditions. Over 1t is eX'
tended Il frame supporting the bed
clothes in Il manner hat reminds one
Of II prairie schooner. An alcohol
stove, placed upon the floor at the foot
Of the bed, delivers the heat into the
Schooner by means OF conducting
pipe and fenestra. The man lies I'M
der the covers with only his face eX-
posed. II is deemed best to perform
a blood TRANSMISSION upon the patient.
A few drops of his blood are procured,
and, by means of known S"rlllns, the
blood group to which he belongs is
determined. A glance ut the list OF
donors and one is chosen who belongs
to the same group. Blood is drawn
from the donor into receptacle CON
tanning sterile sodium citrate in the
right proportion and this blood is in
iectcd into the wounded man.
To depart from the specific exam
ple. occasionally the blood was stored
on ice for several days and then used,
perhaps at the firing line. Such cases
were relatively few, however. More
often. if donors for almost immediate
use could not he procured or were not
to be had in sufficient number, CON
dition that arises during big attacks
certain fluid substitutes foi blood were
employed As in The case of anti
c0agulunts, there are many Such lluldS.
OF course any blood substitute must be
harmless to tissues and red cells allKe.
The old standard fluid substitute
which met these requirements, was
sterile normal salt solution, and, al
though the immediate effect of intra-
venous saline is equivalent sometimes
to even blood TRANSMISSION, the beneht
is usually lost in Il short time and an
opposite, deletcrious effect is produced
This result, it was found. could be
avoided and relatively permanent eff
feet secured by the use of Il fluid OF
the same physical properties as blood.