MEDICAL DISCOVERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26848, 12 August 1948, Page 6

MEDICAL DISCOVERY

SUBSTITUTE FOR HUMAN BLOOD PLASMA MANUFACTURE IN BRITAIN N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 8.30 p.m. . LONDON, Aug. 11. British scientists have discovered an Artificial blood plasma which, it is thought, will eliminate the need for 75 per cent, of human transfusions and save thousands of lives in the tropics, where human blood cannot be stored. The new. plasma is made from cane or beet sugar, and has passed all tests; Government permission will be riven immediately for its manufacture.

The new plasma was discovered by chemists of the East Anglia Chemical Company at Aycliffe, near Darlington, and developed at the Birmingham University. Professor M. Stacey, professor of chemistry at Birmingham University, said: “Efforts to find a substitute for human blood plasma have been going on for years. The difficulty has been to find one without a harmful effect. The one we discovered does not appear to have any adverse effects.”

Already, according to the Retailer, official Journal of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation/ a mild form of rush has set in for becoming male attire for royal visit. Tailors and outfitters have two main worries-lack of materia* fjfY inrfr of time and labour to make up what is awilAble. Toppers are likely to be scarce; there may be enough greys, but shiny blacks are said to be few and far between.