[The significance of ideas and first experiences of A. A. Bogdanov for development of transfusiology in Russia].

The article considers the period of becoming of transfusiology in the USSR that fell on times of the First World War, the October Revolution, the Civil War and scrambling for power of various political forces. This scramble resulted in victory by forces that did not consider A. A. Bogdanov as an ideological enemy. It allowed him, already withdrew from political activity, to develop and to embody his concept of blood transfusion even in conditions of shortage of resources. The development of theory of A. A. Bogdanov from his early literary works to first experiments with blood transfusion is demonstrated. He carried out these experiments jointly with like-minded persons in conditions of the "underground" and active discussion at the highest state level necessity of establishing special Institute of blood transfusion in the country. Particular biographical information demonstrating ability of man to sacrifice oneself in searching the Truth are presented. The 2023 is the year of one hundred fiftieth birthday and the ninety fifth death anniversary (the death resulted from failed experience on oneself) of A. A. Malinovsky (Bogdanov) - the revolutionary, psychiatrist, politician, philosopher and man of letters.

Did the Pope ban blood transfusion in 1678?

This paper concerns an alleged event in the history of haematology that disrupts the otherwise positive narrative of papal encouragement for blood transfusion. It is frequently stated, in popular websites and in the scholarly literature, that when blood transfusion was first developed it was banned by the Pope. However, careful analysis of the sources cited shows this claim to be without historical foundation. There was never any papal prohibition of blood transfusion. It is a myth that needs to be dispelled if the full extent of the Catholic Church's support for blood and organ donation is to be appreciated.

Bacterial contamination and septic transfusion reaction rates associated with platelet components before and after introduction of primary culture: experience at a US Academic Medical Center 1991 through 2017.

BACKGROUND: The high incidence of septic transfusion reactions (STRs) led to testing being mandated by AABB from 2004. This was implemented by primary culture of single-donor apheresis platelets (APs) from 2004 and prestorage pooled platelets (PSPPs) from 2007. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Platelet (PLT) aliquots were cultured at issue and transfusion reactions evaluated at our hospital. Bacterial contamination and STR rates (shown as rates per million transfusions in Results) were evaluated before and after introduction of primary culture by blood centers that used a microbial detection system (BacT/ALERT, bioMerieux) or enhanced bacterial detection system (eBDS, Haemonetics). RESULTS: A total of 28,457 PLTs were cultured during pre-primary culture periods (44.7% APs; 55.3% at-issue pooled PLTs [AIPPs]) and 97,595 during post-primary culture periods (79.3% APs; 20.7% PSPPs). Forty-three contaminated units were identified in preculture and 34 in postculture periods (rates, 1511 vs. 348; p < 0.0001). Contamination rates of APs were significantly lower than AIPPs in the preculture (393 vs. 2415; p < 0.0001) but not postculture period compared to PSPPs (387 vs. 198; p = 0.9). STR rates (79 vs. 90; p = 0.98) were unchanged with APs but decreased considerably with pooled PLTs (826 vs. 50; p = 0.0006). Contamination (299 vs. 324; p = 0.84) and STR rates (25 vs. 116; p = 0.22) were similar for PLTs tested by BacT/ALERT and eBDS primary culture methods. A change in donor skin preparation method in 2012 was associated with decreased contamination and STR rates. CONCLUSION: Primary culture significantly reduced bacterial contamination and STR associated with pooled but not AP PLTs. Measures such as secondary testing near time of use or pathogen reduction are needed to further reduce STRs.

"Whatever Works": Innovations in the Treatment of Hemophilia in the United States 1783-1950.

Treatment of the bleeding disorder hemophilia in the nineteenth century was empirical, based on clinical experience. Medications, transfusions of human or animal blood, and injections of blood sera were utilized in an attempt to halt life-threatening hemorrhages. After 1900, the application of clinical laboratory science facilitated the utilization of anti-coagulated blood and donor blood compatibility tests for safer emergency transfusions. But repeated transfusions produced blood incompatibility that limited future utilization. Investigation of hormones and snake venom as coagulants appeared hopeful during the 1930s, but plasma globulin research during World War II resulted in the isolation of antihemophilic factors that promptly reduced hemorrhage. Their application to bleeding episodes resulted in a more normal life for hemophiliacs after 1950.

Pathfinders in oncology from the end of the 19th century to the first description of Ewing sarcoma.

During the period 1884 to 1922, the only option in cases of operable cancers was radical surgery, and only a minority of patients were cured. Sporadic attempts were made to treat inoperable cancer patients with bacterial toxins; however, with the discovery of x-ray and radium, the era of radiation treatment as an alternative to surgery began. The discovery of transmissible cancers and experimental growth of cancer cells offered new information and not only led to a better understanding of the cellular composition of cancers but also yielded important information that ultimately paved the way to chemotherapy. These efforts also advanced the understanding of the pathogenesis of tumors and induced new clinical and pathologic classifications and subspecializations. It is important to emphasize that many of the initiatives and discoveries made in Europe in the second half of the 19th century were first put into clinical practice in the United States during the first 2 decades of the 20th century, including the use of x-ray and radium for irradiation and as diagnostic tools. All things considered, the progress made between 1884 and 1922 came about through the hard work of many eminent individuals; however, there were 7 foresighted pathfinders (3 surgeons, 2 pathologists, 1 internist, and 1 physicist) who-despite their widely diverse backgrounds, personalities, and expertise-made remarkable contributions to oncology to an extent that is still felt today.

Transfusion in the Spanish Civil War: Supply and demand, the role of the "blood transfusion officer" and British planning for the outbreak of the Second World War.

During the First World War blood transfusion progressed from being a rarely used treatment to a major component of the resuscitation of exsanguinated casualties, relying on local donation and availability of medical expertise. In the 1920s and early 1930s, clinical use of transfusion gradually increased supported by growing civilian, often volunteer, blood donor systems. The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) introduced the first systematic use of aerial bombardment to intimidate the civilian population and to destroy infrastructure; it also saw more mobile battlefronts, replacing the relatively static trench warfare of 1914-1918. New measures for the delivery of transfusion services emerged rapidly from primitive beginnings. These included large civilian blood donor organizations providing anti-coagulated "stored" blood for civilian and military medical use and land delivery services to civilian and military hospitals. Surgical units for the emergency management of casualties were required to be agile in moving as battlefronts evolved and carefully concealed to avoid air attack. Ideally the blood supply would follow. Under threat of a wider European conflict in 1938-1939, British authorities started developing plans for transfusion support in the management of civilian casualties of air attack and military casualties of armed conflict. The involvement, directly and indirectly, of British and other volunteer physicians returned from Spain, together with their Spanish colleagues, ensured that awareness of the Spanish experience was available to the British authorities. The system that was eventually put in place involved a civilian blood donor capability with one centre dedicated particularly to military supplies. Separate distribution systems were organized for civilian and military purposes, with the latter including distribution overseas by air. The military system delivered blood and components through a supply chain to mobile field transfusion units under command of a medical officer specially trained in transfusion and resuscitation, supporting mobile surgical units in the immediate rear of battlefronts. The broad principles developed in Spain (1936-39) for delivery of military blood transfusion practice still support current measures in battlefield casualty resuscitation.

Berkeley Moynihan - early transfusionist and blood transfusion recipient.

Lord Sir Berkeley Moynihan (1865-1936) was a surgeon at the General Infirmary in Leeds (Yorkshire) from 1893, rising during his career to be one of the foremost surgeons in the UK whose reputation reached its pinnacle at the outbreak of the First World War (WW1). He was the only surgeon after Lister to be made a Baronet. In a letter to The Lancet in 1918, he claimed to have used blood transfusion on some of his patients during the 10-year period prior to that date. If true, this statement would make him the first surgeon in England to routinely use transfusion prior to WW1. This review investigates this claim using currently available evidence from Moynihan's personal records and publications, as well as published information from his colleagues.

Whole Blood for Resuscitation in Adult Civilian Trauma in 2017: A Narrative Review.

After a hiatus of several decades, the concept of cold whole blood (WB) is being reintroduced into acute clinical trauma care in the United States. Initial implementation experience and data grew from military medical applications, followed by more recent development and data acquisition in civilian institutions. Anesthesiologists, especially those who work in acute trauma facilities, are likely to be presented with patients either receiving WB from the emergency department or may have WB as a therapeutic option in massive transfusion situations. In this focused review, we briefly discuss the historical concept of WB and describe the characteristics of WB, including storage, blood group compatibility, and theoretical hemolytic risks. We summarize relevant recent retrospective military and preliminary civilian efficacy as well as safety data related to WB transfusion, and describe our experience with the initial implementation of WB transfusion at our level 1 trauma hospital. Suggestions and collective published experience from other centers as well as ours may be useful to those investigating such a program. The role of WB as a significant therapeutic option in civilian trauma awaits further prospective validation.

Blood at 70: its roots in the history of hematology and its birth.

This year we celebrate Blood's 70th year of publication. Created from the partnership of the book publisher Henry M. Stratton and the prominent hematologist Dr William Dameshek of Tufts School of Medicine, Blood has published many papers describing major advances in the science and clinical practice of hematology. Blood's founding antedated that of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) by more than 11 years and Stratton and Dameshek helped galvanize support for the creation of ASH. In this review, I place the birth of Blood in the context of the history of hematology before 1946, emphasizing the American experience from which it emerged, and focusing on research conducted during World War II. I also provide a few milestones along Blood's 70 years of publication, including: the growth in Blood's publications, the evolution of its appearance, the countries of submission of Blood papers, current subscriptions to Blood, and the evolution of topics reported in Blood's papers. The latter provides a snapshot of the evolution of hematology as a scientific and clinical discipline and the introduction of new technology to study blood and bone marrow. Detailed descriptions of the landmark discoveries reported in Blood will appear in later papers celebrating Blood's birthday authored by past Editors-in-Chief.

The Welsh Blood Service - 70 years of continuous change.

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) in England and Wales was established as a single entity in 1946 and operated as such for almost half a century. During those 50 years, the blood service in Wales, as in the rest of the UK, saw many technological and operational changes. The automation of donation testing, the introduction of successive layers of microbiological screening, the creation of the Tissue Typing Laboratory (later renamed the Welsh Transplantation and Immunogenetics Laboratory) and the development of information technology brought - over a relatively long period - highly significant improvements to an organisation that had begun life as an Emergency Medical Service. Differing funding and reporting arrangements for the Welsh and English blood services made little difference in practice, but the devolution of government following the 1997 referendum in Wales would have a profound influence. Four years before the Government of Wales Act (1998) was passed through the UK parliament, the National Blood Authority (NBA) assumed executive control of the English blood services but not the blood service in Wales. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service had been created as independent organisations in 1946; thus, the scene was set for diversification between the four independent blood services, each operating in different political environments with different funding streams. The creation of the UK Blood Services Forum and its Joint Professional Advisory Committee in 1999 has, however, ensured consistency in professional matters. The blood transfusion service in Wales, in its new headquarters in Talbot Green, became known as the Welsh Blood Service (WBS), or Gwasanaeth Gwaed Cymru in Welsh, reporting for most of its life to the Velindre NHS Trust, part of NHS Wales. Considerable changes would impact the WBS in the 21st century. Social changes would mean that the role of recruitment and marketing would become ever more important, although the impact of this was lessened somewhat by a decreasing demand for blood following the Better Blood Transfusion initiatives. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency found new powers and impetus after the so-called EU Blood Directive was transposed into British law, and the inspection regime became significantly more onerous, requiring more resources to be put in this area. A strategic review found that some parts of the service required extensive modernisation, such as the information technology system in use and the deployment of staff on the blood collection teams, and these matters were attended to. The review also prompted the Welsh Government to consider the question of blood supply to and blood collection in North Wales, which had been the remit of the Liverpool Centre since the establishment of the NBTS in 1946. The Welsh Government duly announced the creation of an all-Wales Blood Service, and finally, in May 2016, 70 years after its creation, the WBS took over responsibility for blood collection and blood provision in the whole of Wales.

Blood transfusion in the Caribbean: a case study of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Caribbean islands form an archipelago connecting North and South America. They have all been colonised by European countries and share strong historical, social, economic and diplomatic links with North America. However, their blood transfusion services have evolved differently, using predominantly family/replacement rather than voluntary non-remunerated donors as has been the practice in England and America since 1926 and 1970, respectively. This article uses the case of Trinidad and Tobago to examine the history and current state of blood transfusion services in the Caribbean and to present early results of an initiative for improving blood safety and adequacy in the region.

The University of Toronto's lasting contribution to war surgery: how Maj. L. Bruce Robertson fundamentally transformed thinking toward blood transfusion during the First World War.

SUMMARY: During the Great War, Canadian military surgeons produced some of the greatest innovations to improve survival on the battlefield. Arguably, the most important was bringing blood transfusion practice close to the edge of the battlefield to resuscitate the many casualties dying of hemorrhagic shock. Dr. L. Bruce Robertson of the Canadian Army Medical Corps was the pioneering surgeon from the University of Toronto who was able to demonstrate the benefit of blood transfusions near the front line and counter the belief that saline was the resuscitation fluid of choice in military medicine. Robertson would go on to survive the Great War, but would be taken early in life by influenza. Despite his life and career being cut short, Robertson's work is still carried on today by many military medical organizations who strive to bring blood to the wounded in austere and dangerous settings. This article has an Appendix, available at canjsurg.ca.

Modernizing the flow of blood: Biomedical technicians, working knowledge and the transformation of Swedish blood centre practices.

The early 1980s saw a 'paradigm change' in how donated blood was handled and used by blood centres, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. In Sweden, a five-year state-financed R&D programme initiated a swift modernization process, an alleged 'revolution' of existing blood centre practices. In this article, we use interviews and archival material to analyse the role of female biomedical technicians in this rapid technical and organizational change. In focus is their working knowledge, or savoir-faire, of blood, instruments and techniques. We give a detailed analysis of technicians' embrained and embodied skills to create safety in blood and its representations, handle contingencies and invent new procedures and techniques. These transformations are analysed as sociomaterial entanglements, where the doing and undoing of gender, sociomaterial practices, hierarchies of authority and expertise, and emotions are intertwined.

Where now for transfusion: the evolution of a paradigm and its logical progression.

The development of transfusion over the past century and a half has been described as one of the blessings of modern medicine. But, in some ways, it is emerging as a decidedly mixed blessing, bringing epidemics as well as improved health. Given all the practice has been through, now is the right time to take a critical look at blood transfusion as it is practiced today, and whether it serves the individual patient as effectively as the interests of those who administer it.

Blood Trials: Transfusions, Injections, and Experiments in Africa, 1890-1920.

From about 1880 to 1920, a culture of medical experimentation promoted blood transfusion as a therapy for severe anemia in Europe, which was applied in German East Africa in 1892 for a case of blackwater fever, a complication of malaria afflicting mainly Europeans. This first case of blood transfusion in Africa, in which an African's blood was transfused into a German official, complicates the dominant narrative that blood transfusions in Africa came only after World War I. Medical researchers moreover experimented with blood serum therapies on human and animal subjects in Europe and Africa, injecting blood of different species, "races" and ethnicities into others to demonstrate parasite transmissibility and to discover vaccines for diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness, and yellow fever. While research in German colonies is highlighted here, this was a transnational medical culture that crossed borders and oceans. This research is of interest as a possible early pathway for the epidemic spread of HIV and other zoonoses in Africa and the world, which biomedical researchers have identified as emerging in West-Central Africa sometime around the turn of the twentieth century.

Should whole blood replace the shock pack?

When haemorrhage occurs on the battlefield, the soldier rapidly loses whole blood; it therefore stands to reason that the optimum fluid for resuscitation is whole blood. Indeed, this was the case for the first 250 years of transfusion practice, but since the 1970s component therapy has been used, with little evidence for that change. It is hardly surprising that 'balanced' component therapy, which seeks to replicate whole blood, has been found to offer the best results in resuscitation. This article explores the role of whole blood in resuscitation and how it may be useful in the contemporary military environment.

Blood Transfusion and the Body in Early Modern France.

This article examines medical discourse surrounding the first animal-to-human blood transfusion performed in 1667 by the French physician Jean-Baptiste Denis. During this period, new physiologies interacted with Galenic medicine in various social milieus that shaped discourse over the body. Although the practice of transfusion was based in contemporary theories of circulation, the therapeutic rationale for transfusion largely appealed to Galenic humouralism. This case reveals how social and intellectual contexts engendered an eclectic corporality, which integrated contemporary natural philosophy within a framework of medical Galenism. Medical discourse from this episode suggests a pluralistic conception of the body--a body that was broadly humoural but included accretions from new physiologies.