JOURNAL ARTICLE

World War I and the Origins of Blood Transfusion for the Trauma Patient.

  • Published In: Military Medicine, 2024, v. 189, n. 11/12. P. 287 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Danford, Joseph R 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on the development and acceptance of whole blood transfusion as a treatment for hemorrhagic shock during World War I. It outlines how Canadian Army surgeon Major L. Bruce Robertson pioneered battlefield whole blood transfusions, despite initial risks from uncross-matched transfusions, and how U.S. Army physician Captain Oswald Robertson advanced the practice by creating the first blood banks using citrate-glucose preservation, enabling safer storage and universal donor use. These innovations significantly improved trauma care for wounded soldiers and were recognized as major medical advances of the war, laying the foundation for modern transfusion practices. The article situates these medical developments within the broader context of World War I’s impact on advancing military medicine.

Additional Information

  • Source:Military Medicine. 2024/11, Vol. 189, Issue 11/12, p287
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Health and Medicine
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0026-4075
  • DOI:10.1093/milmed/usad483
  • Accession Number:180763880
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