Evening star., 1952-12-29
Albumin May Replace
PIusmu in Trunsfusions
New Method Removes Risk
Of Transmitting Joundiee
By Thomos R. Henry

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Blood plasma, life saver of the last
war. is on its way out.
It probably will be replaced by blood
albumin. which constitutes about half
the solid material of plasma and which
has the same value for preventing
SHOCK" major cause Of death from
wounds.
Other experiments now underway give
promise that red blood cells for transfu-
sion, which now have maximum life OF
about three weeks, can be stored indefl-
nitely.
These developments are reported by
DR.. Keith Cannan. ce-chairman OF the
Division Of Medical Sciences OF the Ma
tional Research Council.
Plasma is the fluid part of blood in
which the oxygen-carrying red cells are
suspended. It is an extremely complex
substance consisting of water and large
number of "proteinS," materials contain
ing nitrogen and usually sulfur. which
constitute the building stones Of the ami
NAL body. OF these proteins. albumin.
much like the white of egg, Is the most
important. Plasma is turned into pow
der by taking the water out OF 1t Tor
storage purposes and can be kept almost
indefinitely and shipped all over the
world. About 80 per cent OF the blood
collected by the Red Cross during the
last war was used in the form OF dried
plasma.
Jaundice Infects Plasma.
But says DR.. Cannan. an unexpected
and formidable hazard has arisen. PlaS-
ma carries the virus OF the infectious
jaundice which was major problem OF
the American Army in Europe during
the war. The plasma is pooled before
drying. single infected donor may
contaminate large pool. 1T is evil
dent" says DR.. Cannan. that high
incidence of this disease in the Army
could be crippling."
All efforts to get this virus out OF
the powdered plasma by heating. ex-
posure to ultraviolet light, ETC.. have
failed. This is slow work because every
experiment must be tried with human
volunteers.
Blood serum albumin extracted from
the plasma has been found, however, to
be completely sterile-especially after 1t
has been heated. Moreover. 1t Is a COM
pletely satisfactory substitute for plasma
in shock prevention.
The great drawback Is that this sub
stitute is wasteful. At the best, there Is
a great shortage of plasma. Only about
half the volume is kept in the albumin.
The loss, however. is more than offset
by some of the by-products of the frac-
tionization process. Chief of these is
the gamma globulin which has come
into prominence during the past few
months because of its supposed value in
preventing the crippling effects Of polio.
During the past few years it has been
given to several million children after
known exposure to measles. The results
are uncertain, but it is believed the death
rate from the disease has been consid-
erably reduced.
"As the products from the fractioniza-
ton of plasma become more generally
available" says DR.. Cannan, "it is antici-
pated that new uses for the various frac-
tions will be found Very little plasma
is being fractionated at present. The
processing facilities of the country are
being operated far below capacity. 1t is
probable that intensive efforts will be
made during the coming months to in
crease production to capacity"
Whole Blood DeteriOrateS.
Whole blood can now be stored only
about three weeks. After this the red
cells begin to deteriorate rapidly and the
blood no longer is suitable for trans
fusion It must be kept in a state Of
suspended animation by freezing-but
ordinary freezing kills red cells because
they are ruptured by water crystals. The
problem is to get them below the temp
erature of the formation of ice before
these crystals have a chance to form.
Studies now are in progress in the
freezing of red cells very rapidly to the
temperature of solid carbon dioXide.
Frozen cells stored for months at this
temperature have been found to have
survival times during which they are
suitable for TRANSMISSION, almost as long
as that Of fresh red cells
If these experiments are confirmed
further, it will be possible to build up
large reserves of whole blood which can
be stored indefinitely in this country and
flown to battlefronts as the need arises.
This will bring about. DR.. Cannan says,
an enormous economy in blood procure
ment programs.