, 1935-02-17
Blood Factors Found
Key to Pdrentdge
BY DIR. MORRIS FISHBLIN
Editor, Journal Of the American Medical Association
and Of Hygeia, the Health Magazine


Modern science has developed an ingenious method
OF guiding the courts IN deciding the true parentage Of
children. or discovering who committed a murder. BY
means Of examining the blood Of the persons involved.
Also, In the case OF a blood TRANSMISSION, this method
is used to see that the blood Of both persons mvolv-
ed is compatible.
This prodigouS step IN medical science IS based on
the existence OF certain dominant factors in the blood
Before a blood TRANSMISSION. tests are made not only
to see that no infection is transmitted from one per
son to the other, but to be sure that the blood Of both
will mix vel.
If the bloods are not OF the kinds that will mix
well, the blood OF one person viii cause the rcd blood
cells OF the other TO clump together. II this occur
red within the human body, death would follow
promptly.
Studies have shown that persons can be divided into
groups, according to the group factors in the blood,
and that the blood Of certain groups can be mixed
without danger.
BY this blood study, 1t is also known that there is
a tendency to inherit certain characteristics. and while
we cannot say from the study OF a blood group that a
certain child Is the descendent Of a certain father,
we can say in some instances that a certain child
could not possibly be the descendant OF a certain man.
The blood consists Of a liquid part called plasma and
the red cells, or corpuscleS. The plasma contains a
substance called agglutinin, which, when 1t comes in
contact with corpuscles Of a certain kind, Jumps them
together, or agglutinates them.
The c~orpuscles also contain a substance called ag-
glutinogen. when enables them to be dumped when
they are acted on by the right kind Of plasma.
There are two kinds OF agglutinins In the plasma;
These have been called "a" and b." There are also
two kinds OF agglutinogens in the c~orpuscles. which
are called "a and B"
Now. persons may have in their blood various COM
~binations Of these agglutinins and agglutinogens. for
instance. a~gglutinin "a" can combine with agglutin-
ogen "A" and cause the corpuscles TO cump. II may
not, however, affect corpuscles which contain agglu-
tinogen B.
After many thousands Of people we're studied, 1t was
discovered that all human beings can be divided into
groups according to the agglutinins and agglutinogens
which they have in their blood. II is obviously i'm
possible for any person to have "a and "A in his
blood, because his corpuscles would at once clump
together.
II is. however. possible to have other combinations
for example. "A" and b "A and b" "a" and
B" and a. and b. This aforementioned group Of
people have been called o individuals because their
blood cells can never be dumped together.
A person can transfer only one Of these factors to
his child. II the blood groups to which a child and
one parent belong arc known. it can be definitely stated
that the other parent must belong to one OF certain
groups and cannot possibly belong to certain other
groups. II a person whose blood contained "a" and
"b' factors married a person whose blood contained
"A" and b" the children could only be "a" and b"
or "A" and b. II the child contained the factor "BT
in its blood. It would be clear that some other person
must have interviewed in the conception.
II is also well established that a mother with "A
and 3 factors In her blood could never produce a child
,.eL. stu - arH - - ill., . al -.E
the "a and "b" factors could never produce a child
with the "a and b.