Today is World Blood Donor Day

The first transfusions were done using poorly understood science and resulted in some rather tragic results for the patients. Richard lower was the first one to examine animals and blood circulation and finding ways to stop blood clotting. While he was of course only working with animals, he managed to drain the blood off of a medium sized dog and then transfuse the blood of a large mastiff into the smaller animal. Both dogs recovered with no appreciable ill effects.

So it was that he gained great notoriety for his efforts, and was asked to speak on and teach this technique to the Royal Society. There were some odd beliefs about blood back then, and the first human transfusion involved putting the blood of a sheep into a patient who was suffering from a mild form of insanity. It was thought that perhaps the blood of so gentle a creature as a lamb might help to calm his insanity. The act of transferring animal blood into patients was strongly questioned by the tightly superstitious and morally rigid authorities of the time, and the practice was outlawed. Vanishing for 150 years.

It was an obstetrician that brought blood transfusions back into modern medical technology, starting in 1818. After he saved the life of a woman who had hemorrhaged terribly after giving birth, he started publishing works on how it was done and the study thereof. Throughout his life, he performed 10 transfusions, 5 of which saved the lives of the recipients.
World Blood Donor Day celebrates the hard work and daring of these early medical professionals and recognises the efforts they put into developing a technology that saves so many lives today.

We have a few regular donors on here I believe, one or two who's blood might have too much alcohol in it to share

 

Used to give blood regularly -first time as a student at college in 1964, when we all dared each other to give some (what a pint that's a whole armful) but angina put a stop to me giving a few years ago.

 

I'm not allowed to give blood.
There's a chance I might have Mad Cow Disease.
How silly, do I look like a cow?

 

Now you come to mention it in a certain light you look very similar to a fusion

 

Do you mean Fresian?

 

I thought a Fresian was a horse, if it’s a cow I stand corrected

 

No I was right fusion is a cow and in a certain light

 

There's room on "The List" you know.

 

I donated a considerable amount of blood as a lad, by running my Honda 250 into the back of a parked car. Unconventional I know, but I like to be different.

 

My god ... nearly had heart failure - I thought @bernjb56 had called a national blood and honour day

 

Having had malaria I can't give also - don't know if it makes me happy or sad

 

I've had malaria & thought the above was true too. However, last year I spoke to someone from the Donor Service & they said I could donate again (it has been nearly 20 years ago since I had malaria).

Today I made my 3rd post-malaria donation. Soft drinks, mint club biscuit & a packet of crisps afterwards. I like to get my bloods worth! What is really cool (I think) is that in a few weeks time I'll get a text message to say where my blood was used. Even though I donate in Southampton, my blood helped someone in Redditch and London.

 

It's them Barnsley mosquitos

 

Its all this sun

 

It was about 30years ago for me, suppose its always been a good excuse to avoid needles.

 

You only feel a little prick.