1800s Blood Transfusion History: Animal-to-Human Experiments, Limited Success, Pre-Blood Group Era
19th-century transfusion was experimental, dangerous, and largely abandoned.
- Early attempts (1600s–1800s): Animal-to-human (xenotransfusion)—lamb, calf blood. High mortality (hemolysis, anaphylaxis, infection).
- Human-to-human (1818 onward): James Blundell (obstetric hemorrhage). Arm-to-arm, no anticoagulant, no typing. Mixed results; many fatal reactions.
- Milk/saline substitutes: Tried as volume expanders—ineffective, dangerous.
- Key barrier: ABO incompatibility unknown. Landsteiner discovered ABO groups in 1900; Coombs test (1945) enabled safe crossmatch.
Modern transfusion medicine began with citrate anticoagulation (1914), blood banking (1930s), and component therapy (1960s). The 1800s laid groundwork but lacked scientific basis for safety.
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