The first recorded attempt at a blood transfusion was undertaken in 1492, Dr Bob Anderson told guests at Narrabri Red Cross’s 100th anniversary lunch on Thursday.
Unfortunately, that first attempt was unsuccessful and the three donor boys whose blood was to flow into the veins of Pope Innocent 8 didn’t survive, Dr Anderson said.
The first recorded successful blood transfusion occurred in England in 1665 when a physician Richard Lower kept a dog alive by transfusing blood from other dogs.
Since then, blood banks have evolved, through trial and error and scientific advances into a vital medical service saving innumerable lives.
Narrabri Red Cross was instrumental in the successful establishment and operations of the blood bank.
Dr Anderson was recalling the history of the Narrabri blood bank in a talk to the Red Cross 100th anniversary lunch.
Dr Anderson, with the late Dr Ted Buckley, initiated the Narrabri blood bank in 1974 after frustrations with the arrangements in place involving Sydney and Tamworth, and Janet Paas, then Sister Paas, was the bank’s first sister in charge.
Drs Anderson and Buckley, with the co-operation of the then hospital manager John Burt and hospital board member Jim Thomas launched the blood bank.
“In those days there was a blood bank at Inverell and Broken Hill” recalled Dr Anderson.
He wrote a letter to the authorities asking for the establishment of a Narrabri blood bank, including a map with Narrabri right in the middle, depicting it as the hub surrounded by other towns.
Janet Paas organised and sustained the donor clinics at Narrabri, Wee Waa and Boggabri.
“Sister Paas did a responsible job amazingly well” said Dr Anderson.
“There was never a problem or a mistake or wrong blood grouping in the 25 years of the Narrabri blood bank.”
Various cost cutting measures and centralisation saw the Narrabri blood bank closed in 1999.
The once low cost, voluntary nature of the service has become an expensive operation with all blood sent to Sydney nowadays and units costing $360 each.
Blood donors remain voluntary and unpaid.
A blood donor team nowadays comes to The Crossing Theatre once a month.
“New donors are always welcome” added Dr Anderson.
Janet Paas spent much of her time visiting every business in town to encourage blood donations.
She recalled a trip to Moree with donated blood, on ice in an esky, in her car, when the car broke down near Gurley.
“We waited one and a half hours before a car came along the Newell highway” she recalled. Fortunately it was a police car which was able to make a speedy trip, with lights flashing to deliver the blood in good condition.
