Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-24
Continued From First PagI

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who favor private. or individ-
ual hospital blood banks. and.
persons who feel blood collec-
tion is a community RESPONSE
bility.
Blood Collection Drop
II was brought to a head this
summer as the Red Cross CEN
ter,s blood collections dropped,
in what officials said is an an
nual seasonal slump.
The Psychologists of six WASH
ington area hospitals. which
are running their own blood
banks and trying to call on the
Red Cross bank less and less,
charge the Blood Center with
lack Of cooperation and failure
to provide adequate supplies.
The patholoeists say the Red
Cross can't do the job--that It's
system Of collections is wrong.
Red Cross blood bank officials,
however, deny any lack of CO.
operation, although they con-
cede seasonal shortages OF
blood.
DR.. Ramsey declared that
Constructive. not destructive.
efforts should lead continuously
toward Improvement in the
procurement and availability of
blood"
Red Cross Effort Hurt
DR.. Raymond o. Dart. blood
program director for the center,
feels the Red Cross efforts here
have already been hurt some
what by the controversy.
DR.. Oscar B. Hunter. jr., head
of Hunter Laboratories here
and the practicing pathologist
in Doctors Hospital, is also
president of the American AS
ISOLATION of Blood Banks, an
organization of independent
banks not part Of the Red Cross
civilian blood program.
DR.. Hunter refused to COM
ment on the Washington area
situation. However, he was
quoted extensively in the maya
zine, Medical Economics" a
publication distributed solely to
physicians. The article was
entitled, why Blood Banking
Is Still a Mess"
Blood procurement, DR.. Hunt
er said, lis no longer an anna
tours job. This is a day-in-
day-out business and volunteers
get tired mighty soon. That's
why the Red Cross is not a sue
cess in most towns. Actually
the larger the town the less sue
ceSsful it is"
Unsuccessful Here
an Washington it is unsuc-
cessful," he continued. THE
blood supply is sporadic. un.
even, and at times worse than
before World War II. It woulc
seem unheard of at the present
time for a hospital to risk the
HIVES Of patients by having only
four pints of blood in a bank
But that was the case in one
hospital supplied by the Ret
Cross in Washington during
October 1857"
The key to successful replace
ment of blood used by a pa
tient. DR.. Hunter feels, is the
penalty clause. a rule which
requires the patient to pay
money to buy blood from a pro-
fessional donor if he does moi
have friends replace it.
The difference in philosophy
between the Red Cross and the
American Association of Blood
Banks is apparent.
The Red Cross has tradition.
ally held that it is the com.
munity's responsibility to pro.
vide blood.
The AABB believes it Is the
individuals responsibility to re.
place blood when used. 1t holds
that this is more realistic.
Organizations Aim
DR.. Ramsey. however, de-
clared, "At the time the Amer
lean Association of Blood Banks
was first organized, shortly
after the Red Cross civilian
blood program was announced
it was freely stated that one Of
the purposes of that organiza-
ton (the AABB) was to get the
Red Cross out of the blood
procurement field. This was
late in l947 and early in 1913.
-Four Washington area hos.
pitals-convinced that the
Blood Center cannot adequate.
ly meet their blood needs
decided to use their own blooc
banks this summer. Three re-
port their supplies are now ir
better shape than ever before
in the summer. One is Just
starting its own program.
They are Suburban, Alex
andria, Circle Terrace and Ar
lington Hospitals. Two others
Doctors and Providence, never
have participated by contract
with the Regional Blood Center
The hospitals announced
their own programs about
July /, the date the Red Gross
policy of charging a $2.8(
processing fee for each PIN
Of blood went into effect.
Alternatives Offered
These hospitals give patients
three alternatives to replace
blood given them:
/. Have friends or relatives
donate blood at the hospital
2. If the patient has prev
iously donated blood to tht
Red Cross and has built W
credit there. ask that agency
to replace it.
3. Pay a professional donol
the standard fee of SIS pei