Pollution Of Blood Plasma Alleged

Press, Volume C, Issue 29637, 6 October 1961, Page 8

Pollution Of Blood Plasma Alleged

(N Copynaht) MILAN, October 5. The Milan Blood Donors’ Association last nifht said that somebody had wilfully polluted with germs 27 bottles of human blood plasma for use in the city’s hospital.

The president of the association (Dr. Vittorio For mentano) and the technical director of the Milan Transfusion Institute (Dr. Waldo Molls' filed the formal charges against person or persons unknown with the police, the British United Press said. Dr. Formentano and Dr. Molla said the bottles were wilfully tampered with, and that a refrigerator containing bottles of blood plasma was disconnected from the power line to cause an increase of the temperature. They said they had grounds to believe that the pollution was part of a campaign to discredit the Blood Donors’ Association. Thejg did not elaborate on the reasons for this alleged campaign. Bad Plasma Cases of bad plasma were reported a few months ago in Naples and other Italian cities. Some of the cases resulted in death. Dr. Molla told reporters that the Public Prosecutor’s Office had been notified of the presence of the germs as long ago as June 13. He said the fact had been kept secret pending full investigations. It is reported that if the changed blood had been used, the results could have been disastrous. • It is reliably reported that the pollution took place first last May. Dr. Molla found out that two bottles of plasma had been polluted with germs five days after they had been filed on May 16. A first investigation dis-

covered that rubber covers sealing some bottles had been removed and put back in place by someone who apparently did not know how to do it properly. It was later found that a locked door of the room where the blood was kept at Benefratelli Hospital showed signs of an attempt to open it.

A few days later, it was found that the refrigerator containing plasma in the same hospital had been unplugged. causing an increase of the temperature inside. No Police Comment

Police refused to comment on the case, except to say that it appeared that the culprit was somebody inside the organisation. The Blood Donors’ Association issued a special statement to ail its branches to warn them against the danger that similar attempts could be carried out elsewhere.