Blood History
Man has been fascinated by blood for centuries; ancient Egyptians bathed in it and Aristocrats drank it. The first recorded human to human blood transfusion took place in 1492, but ended in tragedy for all involved. The science of transfusing blood products is still considered modern medical technology as described in this section.
In the 17th century, animal blood transfusion was attempted with disastrous results. Jean Denys, a French physician and anatomist, was accused of murder and all studies of transfusion medicine were banned throughout Europe. Later during the 19th century it was concluded that humans should serve as the only source for blood transfusions but skepticism remained. There was still much to learn.
It was then discovered in the late 1800s that inherited differences in people's red cells were the cause of many of the incompatibilities seen with transfusions. In 1901, it was reported by Austrian Scientist Karl Landsteiner (who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery) that blood could be classified into four specific blood types. By matching these blood types (A, B, AB, & O) between a healthy donor and a patient, a successful blood transfusion could be accomplished. During World War I, when blood was needed for wounded soldiers, studies of how to preserve and transport blood began.
Not until World War II, however, did the development of effective preservative solutions make blood transfusions widely and safely available. There have been many advances since then, including the discovery of additional types of blood such as the Rh positive and Rh negative classifications. The “Rh” factor is so-named based on the Rhesus monkeys on which the tests were first run back in 1939.
Today, thanks to these modern advances, full utilization is made of nearly every blood donation. Components of blood can be separated by centrifuge and each used to treat different diseases. Every unit of donated blood is now tested for diseases it may carry and any testing positive for a disease is destroyed. This assures the safety of the nation’s blood supply. Although medical researchers continue to look for synthetic substitutes for human blood, nothing yet can come close to the real thing donated through the generosity of volunteer donors.
