"BLOOD BANK" OPENED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 14, 17 July 1939, Page 7

"BLOOD BANK" OPENED

TRANSFUSION SUPPLY

STORAGE FOR EMERGENCIES

(From\"The Post's" Representative.)

SYDNEY. July 7. - The first "blood ba«k' m Australia, and probably the first in the Southern Hemisphere, has been opened in Sydney The "bank," which will provide a constant supply ot blood for transfusions in time of emergency.- will always have available 16 pints of blood of different classes.

The "bank" started as a blood donors club as part of the social service work of Toe H, but Toe H members considered that the method ot" storing blood, so that it could be sent anywhere without any loss of time, was essential. Dr. Burton Bradley, chief medical officer of Toe H, offered his services free and volunteers came forward to give, clerical and other assistance, so that the expense of running the "bank' Was reduced to a negligible minimum.

"The bank at present nas 500 members, mostly loe tl and chtveh people," said Dr Bradley, 'but 1 e>pect that by the end of the year the\ membership will increase to 1000. so that 1 will not have to call on donors tor\ blood more than once in six months . The blood can be kept for three months,' as it-is in America and England, but this will not be necessary 1 have sufficient donors, and so 1 will have to store the blood only for three or four weeks. "In my tests, using an drdinary icechest, blood has kept for a month. With a refrigerator that has been given to us, I expect to get results comparable with those obtained overseas. .The bipod is mixed with a special solution to \ prevent coagulation. All",blood,. in the 'bank' will be bacterioldgically tested daily This will eliminate all-risk and ensure that all blood is ready at any time for use in -a transfusion. We shall be lableto provide a continuous service—blood of all types, available at any time. The 18 pints kept in the "bank* will be of different types, and; vfrill probably be taken at intervals of two weeks, so that if one lot does,'! by any chance, tend to "go wrong, there will be some more recently given to replace it

"We hope to be able to establish, 'branch banks' in country districts which, are beyond reach of tht Sydney 'bank.' If we can get 'banks' established throughout New South Wales, as we hope, country hospitals and doctors will be helped tremendously. There will be no necessity to rush a certain person to hospital to give a blood donation because the 'bank' will be able to supply enough for any transfusion." - .