BLOOD TRANSFUSION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 11, 2 October 1942, Page 3

BLOOD TRANSFUSION

MANY LIVES SAVED

In the medical care of all troops on active service, those who become battle casualties, New Zealand has little to learn about efficiency from any Army in the world. Comparing this Avar with the last, perhaps the greatest, single, new factors in saving the lives of wounded men is the wide use of blood transfusion. Modern technique has made application of this method of countering the exhaustion and shock from a severe wound safe,, simple and quick. Many thousands of soldiers now in complete physical health, thanks to the injection of someone else's blood, A\ould othci~ wise have died. Because of the subtle differencein the blood of individuals, it is not possible to take any person's blood for a particular patient. Human blood is classified into four groups and unless the patient receives blood from a donor of his own group, £>r from the group called it-he 'Universal Donors' the two bloods will not 'mix' and. more harm than good will result. Before the transfusion can take place the blood of the patient must be examined to determine its rfroup and then a suitable donor

must be found. For 'this work labrotory equipment and specially trained personnel arc required. The Army medical authorities in New Zealand decided to dispose of this difficulty, in advance, and in December, 1939, instructions were issued that all Expeditionary Force personnel must have their blood group ascertained before they left for overseas. Pathologists and medical officers possessing the required special knowledge were at once sent to work at the various mobilisation camps and within a short time th<? blood of all troops for overseas had been examined and the symbol for each man's group had been entered in his paybook and also stamped, on his identification discs. This policy has since been followed with all troops for overseas or for employment. on Home Defence. Now, if a blood transfusion is required urgently all the medical officer has to do is to look at the patient's identification, disc, 01* in his payboo'k j.o ascertain his type, and he is similarly aided in selecting a suitable donor from those offering. Thus, valuable minutes, which might make all ;the difference between life and death, are saved.

One of the chief risks run by a newiy wounded soldier is that infection may enter the wound before he can be placed under proper medical and nursing care. To guard against this each soldier carries in a special and easily accessible pocket of his battledrcss, a dressing known as the First Field Dressing; and consisting of two bandages, each with a pad. of anliiscptic gauze attached. This has been standard equipment throughout the war and was in use during the war of 191-1-18. As a further protection, -all troops are inno j eulateel against tetanus, typhoid fever and smallpox, shortly alUer entering camp.