Palisadian., 1923-03-09
Men Who Sell Their Blood for
TRANSMISSION Have Close
Knit Union.
MUST keep At TOP OF FORM
Most Of Them Are Working Men, and
Clean Living Is First Essential
Careful Tests Are Made
Pay Is Small.
Here's the 1,0o1st way to
make living. How would you
like to follow this profession?

Il ~N~~~~N~~~~
New York.-A man recently brought
into night court for intoxication won
the sympathy Of the court by stating
that he had recently given a quart of
his blood by TRANSMISSION and In his
weakened state had drunk more than
he could stand. Later he amplified
his story. saying that he had submitted
to 206 blood transfusions In three
years These statements drew a pro-
test from the small number of men
who make a business of giving their
blood to others and who hold them
selves at the call Of physicians and
hospitals
The Order Of Blood Donors is jeal-
ous Of It's reputation and branded as
false the culprit whose case found It's
way into court. In the first place, It's
members said, no blood donor would
be hailed to court for intoxication be-
cause one of the first requirements for
the profession" is clean living. Ac-
cording to them, nothing would throw
a donor into the discard quicker than
even suspicion Of alcoholic taint in
his blood. And Thomas Cane of 502
East Fifty-first street, who lays claim
to the record for transfusions, said
that 1t would be physical impossible
ity for one to undergo TRANSMISSION 206
times in three years. The best Kane
has been able to do Is 40 transfusions
since 1914
Profession Is New.
The profession of blood donor Is COM
paratively new. A few years ago when
TRANSMISSION was necessary some friend
or relative had to volunteer or an adj
vertisement was put in the newspa-
pers asking for donor. There was
never any trouble In finding persons
ready to lose some of their blood for
pay, but 1t was sometimes difficult to
select an applicant whose blood would
stand the test. When a physician or
hospital found ran whose blood did
stand the test they kept in touch with
him, and 1t was III this way" that the
first waiting list was made up. Ac-
cording to Kane there are about 400
men who make a practice of answer
ing calls and who 'go out" on cases
whenever needed.
Each time the donor Is called he
gives from pint to quart Of blood
so there must be long intervals be-
tween aid calls. The pay is surpris-
ingly small.
n nf
such an easy matter, he said. Before
the blood Is taken from donor 1t has
to pass the Wasserman test to see II
it is free from the taint of disease. The
donor then has to submit to a blood
count; that is, test to see whether
his blood is up to o standard of rich
ness. Then the applicant must be In
the same group with the patient. This
means that the physician must select
blood which will unite readily and uni
formly with that Of the recipient.
''Stories of men who have received
tAeia Mood are false and are usually
inspired by boasting." said Kane. II
have heard such stories and l know
from actual experience that they are
untrue. In the first place, under mod
ern methods, the donor In most cases
with the recipient of his blood and the
physician is the one who looks after
the financial end of such transactions.
That eliminates acquaintance and
sense of gratitude on the part Of the
patient"
Poor Way to Make Living.
The establishment of a permanent
market for human blood does not mean
that the donor can make a living of
1t. He could not stand the strain of
continual loss, even " the demand for
his services was constant and there is
not enough money in 1t. So the pro-
fesional donors follow other lines of
permanent employment and answer
calls in order to increase their In
comes. The present list of available
donors includes men of many occupa-
tions, usually those who do manual Ia
Dor, for the donor must keep his blood
In the pink of condition.
Prior to 1919 the standard price for
TRANSMISSION was $25. The cost of this
operation has gone up with other
costs. The donor now gets $50 to $50
a case. Sometimes, because of the
condition of the patient, 1t Is neces-
sary to keep donor on hand for sew
eral days before an operation Is ex-
pedient When this is the case, Kane
sayd tho donor recpiyas his keen and