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Life Transfusion.
It has been said that blood is life, and if that is so the
giver of blood, in certain circumstances, is the giver of life.
The experience gained in the Spanish Civil War showed the value of
this method of dealing with certain cases, edical men found that
in at least ten per cent of casualties lives could be saved by
blood transfusion.
In
Recently an appeal was issued for British volunteers who would
be prepared to give their blood for transfusion in case of war.
London there are 70 centres of enrolment, and in other cities and
towns throughout Great Britain there are 60 contres.
The response
"Life donors
to the appeal was immediate and on a generous scale.
as these volunteers have been called, are coming from all classes
of the cormunity.
The numbers required in Great Britain in case of emergency
would be very large. In the centre of London alone 100,000 would
be called for, and another 80,000 would be wanted in the area just
outside London.To ensure an adequate supply for the Army medical
services 1,000,000 may be called for.
The term "life transfusion" has been used instead of blood
transfusion, and this in itself reflects the changed circumstances
of the service. No longer need the donor lie near the patient,
nor does he or she undergo any really unpleasant experience.
can be drawn off almost without the donor knowing anything about
it
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Blood
kept in vacuum bottles in refrigerators, and used from two to
three weeks afterwards. As for the amount available in case of
need, it is estimated that 43.7 per cent of the population of
Great Britain have blood suitable for transfusion.