TRANSFUSION SERVICE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28450, 3 December 1957, Page 23

TRANSFUSION SERVICE

Record Quantity Of Blood Used Last month the North Canter- ■ bury Blood Transfusion Service i used a record quantity of blood, i Demands from hospitals exceeded 850 bottles. 605 of these being used for transfusions. The increase in the quantity of blood meant an increase in donations. During the month 773 donations were received. A steady increase in the number of bottles given is shown from October 31. 1953. to October 31, 1957. During the year from October 31, 1953 to October 31, 1954, 5247 bottles were given; for the year ended October 31, 1957,' 7464 were given. During the same period blood issued also increased, from 3415 bottles in 1953-54 to 5674 in 195657. “These increases could not have been met, had it not been for the great assistance given to the mobile unit in the surrounding districts by women’s organisations,” said the secretary of the service (Mr T. W. Smith). Since 1955 the unit has enrolled over 2700 new donors and has returned with more than 5100 donations of blood. S.A.S. MEN DUE TODAY Five Christchurch members of the Special Air Squadron returned from Malaya in the first flight which landed at Whenuapai late on Saturday afternoon. They and the other. South Island men travelled to Wellington by train yesterday and are expected to arrive at Lyttelton by the inter-island ferry this morning.