Introductory Chapter: Blood Groups - From Past to the Future

Abstract

Because we know there are different blood groups today, doctors can save lives by transferring the right blood to patients. But previously, the blood transfusion was just a dream. This idea was first discussed by the doctors at the time of Renaissance. In later periods, a French doctor transfused calf blood to a patient in the 1600s and the patient died. Of course, blood transfusions which were made unaware of the presence of antigenic differences ended with death. Because of such unsuccessful trials, the blood transfusion gained a bad reputation. In 1817, Dr. James Blundell, an English obstetrician, said that living species had different blood structures, so blood could not be transfused between different species, but only human blood could be given to a human. In the following years, a total of 10 blood transfusions were performed, of which only 4 survived. Dr. Blundell did not know that human blood had different antigens, and people should be transfused with the same blood group antigens. And probably, this was the cause of death in some patients.