Evening star., 1938-05-21
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook Of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Already Gallinger Hospitals blood
bank can be credited with saving eight
or ten lives.
Started less than two months ago at
the instiga ton of the hospitals surgical
department, it has become one OF the
largest set-ups of its kind in the United
States and is opening new possibilities
in blood and serum storage. The basic
plan is similar to that in eight or ten
other cities Blood is given not by
TRANSMISSION from one person to another,
but from supplies kept in cold storage.
Every drop used must be replaced as
soon as possible by relatives or friends
who hitherto would have been used for
the transfusions.
In this way it is possible to have on
hand constantly adequate supplies OF
blood of all the four types encountered
in human beings. TRANSMISSION is Of
greatest value in emergencies, such as
loss of blood from serious accidents or
the severe hemorrhages which sometimes
occur in obstetrical cases. The sooner
the new blood supply can be given the
better Although many lives have been
saved by the practice in the past it has
been seriously limited.
The blood must be of the right type to
match that of the patient, both in cell
form and agglutination properties. 1t
must be free from contamination by cer-
tain prevalent blood diseases. The avail
ability of a blood TRANSMISSION in an
emergency was depended often on pure
luck-finding person willing to give
the TRANSMISSION who fitted exactly in the
picture. Even then a delay OF several
hours usually was necessary while the
appropriate tests were made.
Under the blood bank method the
surgeon simply goes to the icebox and
draws out an adequate supply of what
ever kind of blood he needs A transfu-
sion can be under way in 10 or Is
minutes after the patient is brought to
the hospital The supply must be re-
plenished as soon as possible, for the
solvency of blood banking depends. like
that of money banking, on the income
equaling or exceeding the outlay. The
replacement blood Is obtained from VOL
unteers among the relatives and friends
of the patient. No difficulty has been
encountered.
It is not necessary that exactly the
type Withdrawn be replaced. One can
draw cash from a bank and replace it
with checks to cover the account. Just
So type blood can be withdrawn and
type 4 deposited. In the end it will come
out even.
The icebox blood. it is demonstrated
by the work at Gallinger, is even better
than that drawn fresh from the human
veins Without much doubt it undergoes
some sort of change and this seems to
result in less serious reactions. 1t can
be kept for approximately month IN
good condition.
The success of the blood bank tests
has led the Gallinger doctors to prelin-
mary experiments with blood serum
repository. 1t is hoped eventually to
have a collection. as nearly complete
as possible of blood serums from per-
sons who have recovered from such all
ments as streptococcus infections, parrot
fever, poliomyelitis and encephalitis. 1t
may be possible to keep these for an
indefinite period, for use in emergencies.
Whenever a VOLUNTEER blood donor comes
to the hospital a careful medical history
is taken If he has had any Of the
diseases for which convalescent serum is
used his blood is drawn but it does not
90 into the blood bank vaults. Instead