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Health
Got Blood?
In conjunctionwithWorld Blood Donor Day on June 14,
Edwin Koh
delves into a selfless
act that is often taken for granted.
I
f
you’ve had childhood ambitions
of saving lives after watching su-
perhero flicks, but never quite made
it to medical school or fire-fighting
academy, all hope is not lost. Ordi-
nary folk have been savings lives this
way for decades. And best of all, it
doesn’t cost a cent!
The History of Blood Transfusion
British physician William Harvey first
demonstrated that blood circulated around
the body in 1628. Almost four decades
later, another physician, Richard Lower
performed the first known blood transfu-
sion on an animal. It was purportedly a
dog. Then in 1818, British obstetrician
James Blundell successfully transfusesd
human blood to a patient who had a
haemorrhage after giving birth. At the turn
of the 20
th
century, AustrianDr Karl Steiner
discovered the first human blood groups.
The year 1921 saw British Red Cross
members initiating Britain’s first voluntary
blood service at Kings College Hospital,
London. In 1936 the world’s first blood
bank in Chicago’s Cook County Hospital
was opened. Civilian blood donation
became more widespread thereafter –
blood supply was especially vital in times
of war. Of course, various discoveries
along the way have shaped blood typing
and testing to improve safety. Different
methods of blood collection and storage
were also implemented.
In some countries, blood donors are
financially compensated; whilst in others,
donors receive paid time-off fromwork. In
Malaysia, blood donors at the blood banks
of government hospitals are accorded cer-
tain medical and hospitalisation benefits.
Can I Donate blood?
If you are between 18 years of age and
weigh above 45kg, you can donate blood
as long as you are generally healthy. Prior
to the procedure, you will be required to
fill up a consent form that also consists
of questions about your medical history.
Donors on medication should indicate
what types of medicine(s) they are taking.