Evening star., 1942-07-26
Blood Donors Form Home Fronts Biq Parade
BY ROBERT c. HARPER.


The big parade is forming pa
Sade of blood donating civilians
preceding the big push against the
Axis.
Cooperating with the Army and
Navy. the American Red Cross
wants 1000 pints OF blood in the
next IL months-dried and liquid
plasma which will restore men who
have been wounded to battle sta
tions.
Fighting ruthless opponents,
America knows its casualties will be
heavy when the military big push
begins. Realizing the necessity for
building up a huge reserve of plas-
ma, America Is calling on the home
army to more than double the blood
bank Quota 49, was flxed in peace
time q year ago.
The Nau.c. will interpret the
300 900 pints in terms of local quo
tas. But they don't talk about quo
tas at the District Donor Center;
1t has no quota. never had one
Under the direct supervision Of the
Army and Navy, this center is un-
usual in that it not only draws the
blood from the donors; it also has
laboratory facilities for the proc
essing Of plasma to the liquid and
frozen state.
21,oO0 Give Donations Here.
More than 2l,0OO Washingto-
fans have given donations. It re-
quires only q few minutes to draw
blood, but several days are required
to process 1t into plasna. The usual
routine Of other donor centers is
to place the donations in suitable
containers and ship them to COM
mercial laboratories for conversion
into plasma.
How much, then will the District
give? That depends on the i'm
mediate demands made on it and
the availability Of laboratory tech
nicians. If and when a heavy
demand for plasma is made. the
laboratory and other facilities are
such that the output can be stepped
up by increasing the technical and
other necessary personnel. These
Army and Navy factors are and will
Be determined by time and the
demand for plasgna.
However. on the basis Of an aver
Aee Of 900 donations each week and
. record total Of 1,025 the first week
IN July. the District Center at
1Wenty-third and @ streets NV.
feels It viii be doing its part when
the big push comes.
Many Lives Saved.
Donations, including those given
by Washington residents. already
have saved lives Of men who fought
at Pearl Harbor and Bataan. Here
are typical excerpts from oficial
reports:
A seaman, an ugly shrapnel
wound in his lung and exhausted by
four hours in the water, could not
Be taken by airplane to the nearest
hospital. Relief. II any, had to be
given on the spot. Liquid plasma-
. golden amber that looks like
honey-was administered; the sailor
lives to fight another day.
There was q Marine near death.
we believe this man would have
died, due to the gravity Of his in
turies, had 1t not been for the use
Of this plasma."
A. third testimony related the re-
covery of . soldier suffering null
tiple injuries with spleen rupture.
'PlAsma proved beyond doubt to
be life saving in this case," the
attending surgeon wrote.
Men and women in every walk Of
life are making donations, including
soldiers and sailors on leave. Dis
trict donors include Miss Mary WAL
lace. daughter of Vice President
wallace; Representatives Jessie
Sumner Of Illinois and Jerry Voor-
his Of California: Senator Connolly
Of Texas, Senator Gillette Of Iowa,
Senator Mead Of New York and
others.
Backlog Of Appointments.
There are several men and
women who share the distinction
Of leading in the rlur-~e- -
donations made In washington" /"
says Mrs. Dorothy Mason ,.a....l,
director Of the Blood Donor Service
for the District. Darrell Light
bourn, 1000 BrAndywine street NV,
who Is attached to the British army
stan; Mrs. Gertrude Demonet, $3.50
Connecticut avenue NV, and Miss
e. Bowden. 1549 North Falkland
lane, are three who have served
ten times. Miss Jean r. Phillips,
1888 Connecticut avenue NV; Mrs.
Vera D. Stout (assistant to Mrs.
Walton; Ensign Robert McMillen
and Miss Marjorie Gibbs Russell
and many others are following in
. close second on this honor roll of
donors"
Members Of the District Motor
Corps, using their own tires and
gasoline, the Gray Ladies, the stan
assistants, and the nurses aides
work from Monday through Friday.
BY not keeping open on Saturdays
ana Sundays. the way is paved for
laboratory technicians to catch up
with their work.
A telephone call. Republic 5000,
Extension 2l2. will give q prospective
donor an appointment. The District
Center manages. to keep a back
log OF appointments, thus maintain
Ing Q steady flow.
Generally speaking, liquid plasma
Is reserved for continental use, In
order to preserve the dried plasma
for overseas demands.
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