A WORK OF MERCY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 47, 19 November 1936, Page 8

A WORK OF MERCY

Blood Transfusion Service

INCREASING DEMANDS

(By C. Meachex. Hon. Secretary, Wei li’ngton Blood Transfusion Society.)

By pure chance, in the autumn of 1926, as the rover leader of the Ist Wellington City Rovers, I was a-sked if I could provide a blood donor for a local hospital. From that request the Blood Transfusion Service has sprung. In 1932. 35 calls were received, in 1933 84,. in 1934 113, in 1935 161. and it is probable that the number of calls will reach 200 before January 31. 1937, which is the end of our year. In Wellington, practically every hospital calls upon the service to provide, it with donors. In .1935, 14 hospitals made use of the service. It is a condition that every effort should be made to obtain the services of relatives or friends before having recourse to the service, but there is no infoimation available as to the extent to which this source is utilised; possibly 10 per cent, would be an approximate figure. The organisation is in the hands of a medical committee, and is conducted under the auspices of the Wellington Centre, St. John Ambulance Association. All volunteers are examined by the honorary medical adviser of the service, and it is again necessary for us to increase the number of donors considerably, as at the present time new recruits just cover the loss from transfers and withdrawals, and are not sufficient to cope with the rapidly-in-creasing demand. A new kind of warfare has, unfortunately, arisen in the streets of our big towns, the war between traffic and pe’destrians, many of whom fall victims in the unequal contest. Every hospital in Wellington and elsewhere is constantly called upon to treat the victims of all kinds of serious accident, and blood transfusion is often the means of saving their lives. Many forms of illness, too, result in serious loss of blood. Many women have come safely through the dangers of childbirth only with the help of a blood transfusion, and a number of severe operations can be performed only when

the patient lias been fortified, beforehand by a transfusion. Some more chronic diseases also yield to treatment by transfusion. In a big hospital as many as CO transfusions have taken place in a week. An Essential Service. It i.s obvious that the treatment of a patient by a transfusion demands the presence of a blood donor who is willing to part with as much blood as may be required, and that is approximate!}’ one pint. Sometimes a friend or relation is available, but often no one of this kind can be found. For ten years the ■Wellington Blood Transfusion Service has undertaken to provide volunteer blood donors at short notice. These men and women are willing to go to any hospital where they are required at any time of the day or night. The membership is drawn from the following organisations:—First Wellington City Rovers 5, Toe II 8, N.Z. Pioneers 4, St. John Ambulance Brigade 17, Returned Soldiers’ Association 1, Imperial Overseas Legion of Frontiersmen 4. Y.M.C.A. 2, Girls’ Friendly Society 1, Wellington Aero Club 1, unclassified 90. ’There are 42 civil servants, 4 grocers, 21 householders, 3 shop assistants, 3 firemen, 5 council employees, 1 compositor, 1 dental nurse, 1 nursing sister. 1 electrician, 3 railway fitters, and 4$ whose occupation is not classified. On one occasion recently a call was made to supply a blood donor for a serious case at Featherston. The call was received at 10.45 a.m., and within ten minutes the donor was speeding by car to Featherston on his mission of saving life. Although so many donors have already given their blood, the demand always tends to exceed the supply, and more donors are urgently needed. There can be no doubt that there are numbers of young men who would be willing to act as donors of they understood how great, are the benefits they would confer and how little they would suffer by the operation. A blood donor is not performing an act of heroism, as he is incurring no risk whatever: he is performing a generous act of personal service at the cost of slight inconvenience to himself. The body of. a healthy adult contains approximately ten pints of blood. He can part with more than a pint of it without feeling any ill-effects, and the blood is withdrawn painlessly by puncturing a vein. He must rest for half an hour after giving the blood, but by the next day many donors actually feel better for the operation. In the London Blood Transfusion Service there is a donor who has fiven blood 52 times in eight years, and is no worse for his generosity. Careful Organisation. It is necessary to explain why a Blood Transfusion Service must be carefully organised. In every European community the individuals can be divided into four different groups, according to the properties of their blood. These properties have no relation to character or disease, but are inborn qualities as much as the colour of tlie hair or eyes. Nevertheless the blood of the different groups cannot be mixed indiscriminately. The greatest care must be used. Every prospective blood donor must be free from any disease, such as malaria, which might be communicated by his blood. The interests of the donors are also to be safeguarded, and certain stipulations as to technique are made before any institution is allowed to use the benefits of the transfusion service. No donor is used more than four times a year, though there are many recorded

instances of a man or woman having given blood much oftener than this without ill-effects. The service will be glad to arrange to address any organisation or club to explain in more detail its aims and objects, and would appreciate inquiries for membership. More donors are constantly required. ’Anyone who feels disposed to volunteer his or 'her services should write or telephone to the Honorary Secretary, Wellington Blood Transfusion Service, care St. John Ambulance Association, 29 Vivian Street, Wellington.