SAVING OF LIFE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 184, 3 May 1934, Page 10

SAVING OF LIFE

Voluntary Service Given by Blood Donors INDISPENSABLE SERVICE That blood transfusion was known to medical science three centuries ago, even if little understood, was mentioned by the Minister of Health, Hon. J. A. Young, to members of the Wellington Blood Transfusion Service, at their annual meeting last night. Mr. Young said be believed it was Sir Christopher Wren, when he was a professor of astronomy, who. in 1659, first injected drugs into people's veins and also practised blood transfusion Samuel Pepys, in his famous diary, made the following remarks apropos of Sir Christopher’s art: —“His success on dogs did give occasion to many pretty wishes, as of the blood of a Quaker to be let into an archbishop and such like; but as Dr. Croone says, it may. if it takes, be of mighty use to man’s health, for amending of bad blood, by borrowing from a better body.” Very Definite Place Found. Since that time, however, continued Mr. Young, blood transfusion had found a very definite place in medical therapeutics, and a great deal of painstaking and accurate scientific investigation had been carried out as to tiie conditions under which the blood of one human being might be safely mixed with that of another. Blood transfusion was first practised on a large scale during the war for cases of severe bleeding among soldiers. Since then it had been carried out in tens of thousands of eases, to combat the effects of shock and loss of blood, 'resulting from such diverse causes as operation, maternity, or accident. It had saved the lives of many new-born babies, and had been valuable in prolonging life in cases of pernicious anaemia. It is thus clear that blood transfusion ranked as an indispensable service in the saving of human life. Tiie assistance given by the association in placing its service at the disposal of the St. Helens Hospital, and thus providing an extra safeguard for maternal welfare, was greatly appreciated by the Health Department, said the Minister. First Voluntary Society. "Your association, which was inaugurated in January, 1932, is the first voluntary organisation of its kind formed in New Zealand, and you are to be heartily congratulated for your pioneering work in firmly establishing a service of such value to humanity,” Mr. Young said. “To your donors, for their generous assistance to those in urgent need, the people of Wellington must feel a sense of gratitude, such as has? been so fittingly expressed in the letter forwarded by Dr. 11. B. Ewen, medical superintendent, on behalf of the medical staff and patients at the Wellington Hospital, and contained in your annual report. A tribute to tiie value of your work is apparent. in the fact that during tiie past year 84 calls for donors were received from public and private hospitals in comparison with 35 for tiie previous year. It is to be noted that your volunteers are available at call, day apd night, and since time may be an important factor hi saving of life, such an arrangement is a wise one. It is gratifying to note also the valuable co-operation being received from employers in giving leave of absence to volunteer donors ■on their staffs. The splendid example set by your association is worthy of emulation throughout the Dominion, rind I am pleased to see that you have received a number of inquiries from other places with a view to the'formation of similar organisations elsewhere.” the Minister concluded.