The Geauga Republican-record. [volume] (Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio) 1922-1952, 1951-10-18

SoAAhAS OA bllC PuDlC W uO
something about it-quickly.
"The Defense Department has
set a goal of 2.8 million pints
of blood by next summer-3O0,-
900 pints monthly. The need is
so urgent even military per-
sonnel are being asked to give
the first time the armed
forces have collected blood here
at home in their history.
Here is why:
81. World War II plasma
stockpiles are gone. Americans
gave more than 13 millions
rest has been used up in Korea.
pints of their blood during
the war, and much dried plas-
ma was left. But most was re-
leased to civilian hospitals. The
rest has been used up in Korea.
"2. More blood than ever is
needed. The armed forces have
suffered more than 10000
killed and wounded in Korea.
But the rate of deaths among
the wounded has been cut from
4 TO 100 in World War II to
2.6 per 100-partly because of
the use of more blood. More
blood is being used in hospi-
tails at home, too.
SO. Too few people are CIV
ing. Last December, when
things were going badly in
Korea, people at home gave
over 10000 pints of blood
through the Red Cross to the
Defense Department. But in
July, with armistice talks in
progress, they gave less than
40,000-hardly more than
tenth of the armed forces need.
Need Could Be Sudden
while that much is not
needed now in Korea, much
more could be needed, and sud-
denly. Military leaders are
worried not merely about Kor-
ca, but even more about a new
or bigger war. The armed forces
could need every bit of a 2.8
million pint reserve in an atom
war . . even more.
"The 3OO,OOO-a-month goal
for the new plasma reserve
doesn't even touch the problem
of stockpile for civil defense.
A much greater reserve-bigger-
by at least z million pints-
must start building befor long,.
to safeguard civilians.
'The prospect, therefore, is
a blood-donor drive that will
not end next July with 2.8
million pints, but will go in
definitely.
"The drive already is under
way. Generals Marshall, Brad
ley and Ridgway sounded the
opening call in broadcast
two weeks ago. Last week,
the new Defense Secretary,
Robert A. Lovett, added his
own plea, calling it bluntly
"a blood crisis.
Main Collection Agency
THE Red Cross is the main
collecting agency, and it is ex-
! panding for the job. Fourteen
new de-ense blood centers will
collect nothing but blood for
the drive, and Red Cross is
adding private blood banks to
its roster of regular centers.
Red Cross also will continue
to recruit donors at many mill
tary posts. But under the new
Armed Forces Blood Donor
Program, % of the biggest
posts will start collecting their
own donations. They'll have a
capacity of $1,000 donors ev-
cry month.
"The biggest worry is the
public.
when Gen. Marshall kicked
off the drive with a combined
TV and radio plea to citizens
to call at once to make ap-
pointments as donors, 3,700 Red
Cross chapters across the Ma
ton had their telephones
manned. Some so calls came in
five in New York City, none
here.
Must Continue Quotas
RED Cross regional centers
like the one here must con-
tinue to supply weekly quotas
of whole blood for immediate
shipment to Korea, as we'll as
much larger amounts supplied
regularly to community hospi-
tails. The new plasma drive is
in addition to these needs. Thus
the centers must find brand
new donors.
The bloodmobile unit will be
at the Chardon Methodist
church on Tuesday, Oct. 80
and at the Burton Congrega-
tional church on Wednesday,
Oct. 81. Registrations are
needed to organize the job eff
GENTLY and may be made by
calling the Geauga Red Cross
office at Chardon 5-4911.