NATIVE THRILLED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 1, 28 August 1945, Page 2

NATIVE THRILLED

WHITE MAN'S BLOOD TRANSFUSION ECHO A seven year old native urchin is strutting around Balif heating his chest like a prize-lighter and giving his cobbers the works. The reason He's got two pints of Australian blood in him. It is a sequel to two transfusions carried out by one.of our doctors after a pidgin English dialogue that took all records for strangeness. The knee-high native boy had had an accident and it was obvious that a transfusion was necessary. Jt had to be explained to his elders. Blood groupings and blood ineompatabilities arc complicated enough at the best of time. Imagine trying to make it clear to mountain natives. They understood at last and promptly brought the boy's father to serve as blood donor. But a test showed that the father's blood could not be used. That was where native mystification reached its' peak.. Other trials were made from village elders, but none was suitable. Two Australians with. the right sort of blood volunteered a pint each. The doctor got to work and the. transfusions were made. When the youngster became good the villagers were still a bit puzzled, The white man's medicine worked all but it seemed to move in a mysterious way. The urchin doesn't mind. He's got white man's blood and there's no holding him.