Evening star., 1939-09-15
Type Is Disregarded
By New Discovery in
Blood Transfusion
CeII-Iess PIusmu
Can Be Administered
By Any Person
By the Associated Press,

| BY the Associated PreSS.
CLEVELAND, Sept. 15.-A new
kind of blood TRANSMISSION which can
be given by unframed stretcher-
bearers in a front-line trench was
announced today before the Amer
lean Congress of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists.
Heretofore blood transfusions have
been given only after blood had been
typed, donor chosen, and COM
plete operating team assembled.
Now, Dr. j. Elliott and DR.. N. Nessett,
of Salisbury, N c., declare, blood
plasma which has had the red cells
shaken out of it can be administered
by anyone to anyone regardless OF
the blood type.
1t can be stored in glass jars for
year or longer, be carried anywhere,
and be injected into an injured
person without danger of harmful
reaction, DR.. Elliott declared.
Keeps Indefinitely.
Blood kept in hospital blood
banks" for emergency use has
usually been thrown away after
standing five days in refrigerator.
Now such blood is used to extract
the plasma, the thick liquid which
remains after the cells are thrown
out, and this part can be kept al
most indefinitely, we believe" DR..
Elliott said.
Blood is placed in centrifugal or
super-cream separator, which whirls
it until the plasma and blood sepa-
rate, then the plasma is drawn of
and stored away for use as needed.
In surgical, obstetrical or shock
from injuries the Importance of the
red cells in the transfused blood is
negligible" DR.. Elliott declared.
THE important factor is the admin
istering of plasma which builds up
the blood pressure and prevents COL
lapse of the blood vessels"
DR.. Elliott looked forward to the
day when "plasma banks" would
be as essential as blood banks in
treating emergency cases and
stretcher bearers would sling bot
tie of the fluid over their shoulders
when starting for the front.
The plasma transfusions have
been used in 291 transfusions with
out single reaction" such as those
which result from using whole blood
of the wrong type on patient" he
declared.
Another source of blood which can
be used for transfusions and the
extraction OF plasma was described
by DR.. Edward Hughes, DR.. John
Balower, DR.. c. A. Gwynn and
DR.. w. A. Croat of Syracuse, N. Y.
They pointed out that much rich
blood is wasted in the delivery of a
baby but can be collected by the
proper procedure and used for trans
fusions.
Thus the blood ordinarily wasted
may be used to save another human
life as baby is being born or may
be transfused back into the mother
to save her life, they pointed out.
The congress focused its atten-
ton yesterday on the reports of
two officials of the Children's Bu-
reau, United States Department of
Labor, crediting the Federal Social
Security Act with having saved the
lives OF "at least several thousand"
mothers and babies.
Funds authorized by the act have
paid for medical aid in hundreds of
communities, benefiting physicians
as well as mothers and babies, DR..
Martha Eliot and DR.. Edwin F..
DALEY told the assembled medical
men.
The need for such action was in
dicated in a recent study showing
that out of 100000 births in one
State half of the mothers received
no prenatal care and majority of
those dying in childbirth had no
care, DR.. Daily said.