POWDERED BLOOD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24635, 17 June 1941, Page 6

POWDERED BLOOD

SCHEME TO SUPPLY A.I.F. SUCCESS IN TRANSFUSIONS (Air Mail) SYDNEY, June 14. Powdered human blood (plasma) will be made in Sydney soon for giving blood transfusions to wounded members, of the A.i.F. «n- the MiddlejEast. The Red Cross Society’s blood transfusion service will be ■ used to, supply which will by, 'a'%bo'cess recently perfected »dh,*Engla® and then offered/ to The society intends to/powder about 100 pints of human blood daily. In additiofi. to: ; sending the plasma oyer£ea& preserve will be built up in.'Aususe s in. the event pf ; : : experiments iSrpall Scale hbve been cbriducted-iJtf.'/Mel-bourne, this will be the first time that any attempt haS been made to ;oowder blood, on an extensive scale m Australia. The scheme may later be extended to air States. ’ . v Wide Extension of Scheme PJasma can be used for fusions instead of whole blood. Plasma is the white opalescent liquid left after the red corpuscles are taken out of the blood. In the ordinary blood transfusion process, the blood is stored whole Although the Red Cross Society has 6200 donors registered-each gives one pint of blood at a transfusion —only 78 have been called on so far in Sydney. Inauguration of the blood-drying process will mean that between 100- and 125 donors will be reouired daily. . Until the new system copies into operation the Red Cross Society cannot use its donors for giving blood transfusions to members of the A.I.F. cn the other side of the world, or for reserve purposes, as whole blood is .easily spoiled and rendered useless. Even under the best, conditions, it does not keep for more than three weks. But plasma will keep jindefinitely. Moreover, plasma in powdered form occupies much less space than whole blood. Recent research shows that while the red blood cells are necessary for life, the plasma plays an equally important part in maintaining the volume of circulating blood and in keeping up the supply of essential salts to« the tissues.

•* Will Keep for Years The plasma can be dried by the process of freezing in a vacuum, which is in itself a modern miracle. When dried, it becomes a yellow powder, which retains all the properties of fresh plasma. It needs only the addition of boiled water to restore it to its former condition and to be ready for use., , : ... •„

Bottled plasma powder can be sent anywhere, and will keep for years. A doctor in the Middle East can carry in his pocket a bottle of plasma, originally given in Sydney, sufficient to save several, lives. It has been estimated that 20 per cent, of the casualties in an air-raid require blood transfusion, Powdered plasma made in Sydney may, when the Red Cross scheme is in operation early next month, be the means of saving hundreds of lives, not only on the Middle East war front, but in the bombed cties of England.