STOCKS OF BLOOD BEING BUILT UP

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30482, 2 July 1964, Page 1

STOCKS OF BLOOD BEING BUILT UP

Stocks of dried blood products, especially albumen, were being accumulated in Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin for use in a disaster or major emergency. Dr. F. W. Gunz, hematologist to the North Canterbury Hospital Board, said yesterday. “Even in the case of an aeroplane crash, we could need very large quantities of blood and blood products,” he said.

Dr. Gunz had been asked to comment on the fact that, while. 547 more pints of blood was taken by the North Canterbury Blood Transfusion Service during the first six months of 1964 than in the same period last year, the blood use by hospital in North Canterbury had been 262 pints -lower. Dr. Gunz thought the lower requirement by hospitals was only a minor fluctuation in what was normally a steady rise. The greater take of blood was in line with past trends, he said.

Surplus blood from all over New Zealand is collected in Auckland and sent to Melbourne for fractionation. In ’• addition, freeze-dried blood is prepared in Auckland from fresh Auckland supplies and exchanged for

blood from other centres. Blood from places distant from Auckland cannot be freeze-dried as the process must be carried out within three hours of the blood being taken.

Blood received from donors by the North Canterbury service during the first half of the year totalled 5462 pints, compared with 4915 pints during the first half of last year. Of this year’s supply 1312 pints was collected by the mobile unit of the service (1165 pints last year) and 4150 pints at the blood bank at the Christchurch Hospital (3750 pints last year). Three hundred and forty-seven new donors have been enrolled this year by the mobile unit, and 325 at the blood bank.

The total use of blood by hospitals during the half-year was 3461 pints, compared with 3723 pints in the first half of 1963. The Christchurch Hospital used 1291 pints (1520 pints last year), the Princess Margaret Hospital 1499 pints (1520), and other hosnitals 671 pints (763). In June, 233 pints of blood was received by the mobile unit in visits to Burnham and Hanmer Springs, and 646 pints was taken at the blood bank. Blood used totalled 581 pints for the month.