The giving of blood has appeared as a medical dream

since the time of recorded history. In ancient days great mysti-

cism was attached to the powers of blood. The capacity to

safely withdraw, store and eventually transfuse blood from one

individual to another is a stirring saga with many high and low

points. The modern day physician has the advantage of this

potent therapy to add to his therapeutic approaches in combating

human disease.

Transfusion therapy has several unique aspects, both for

the physician and laboratory. In spite of increased specializa-

tion, the requirement to efficiently employ blood transfusions is

of concern to all physicians. The use of this form of therapy is

encyclopedic and is a necessary adjunct no matter what area of

medical specialization is involved. This broad use of a potent

therapeutic agent requires detailed knowledge which must be

mastered in a large variety of clinical settings.

In the laboratory, a reversed but equally important position

is assumed in the administration of blood. The technical knowl-

edge required to efficiently process blood is so complex that the

blood bank staff becomes a central station advising both the

pathologist and clinician. We know of no other laboratory proce-

dure which is so dependent on a highly skilled professional

medical technologY staff. The technologist is continually aware

of this unique status and its responsibilities. Errors may and do

occur in many areas of laboratory medicine. Only in the blood

bank, however, does the frightening spectrum arise of a death

occurring in the advent of a procedural error.

The present volume has been developed primarily to in-

dicate the important aspects of blood banking as it applies to

students in the field. It is readily apparent that the technical

data cannot be divorced from the clinical framework. We have

attempted to present, in a systemized fashion, the necessary

information required to efficiently use and study human blood for

transfusion. Voluminous literature is available to the blood

banker. However, we have attempted to choose a limited number

of larger works in order to reduce the necessity of searching for

a multitude of references. In several places the authors were

unable to hide their bias and have presented their own view

without a specific reference.