Editing Blood transfusion (section)

==== Human blood ====
[[File:James Blundell (physician).jpg|thumb|[[James Blundell (physician)|James Blundell]] successfully transfused human blood in 1818.]]
The science of blood transfusion dates to the first decade of the 20th century, with the discovery of distinct [[blood types]] leading to the practice of mixing some blood from the donor and the receiver before the transfusion (an early form of [[cross-matching]]).{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

In the early 19th century, British [[obstetrician]] Dr. [[James Blundell (physician)|James Blundell]] made efforts to treat [[hemorrhage]] by transfusion of human blood using a syringe. In 1818, after experiments with animals, he performed the first successful transfusion of human blood to treat [[postpartum hemorrhage]]. Blundell used the patient's husband as a donor, and extracted four ounces of blood from his arm to transfuse into his wife. During the years 1825 and 1830, Blundell performed 10 transfusions, five of which were beneficial, and published his results. He also invented a number of instruments for the transfusion of blood.<ref name=Ellis>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ellis H | title = James Blundell, pioneer of blood transfusion. | journal = British Journal of Hospital Medicine | date = August 2005 | volume = 68 | issue = 8 | page = 447 | url = http://www.bjhm.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/library/article.cgi?uid=24500;article=hm_68_8_447 | doi = 10.12968/hmed.2007.68.8.24500 | pmid = 17847699 | access-date = 2013-01-01 | archive-date = 2012-03-31 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120331104528/http://www.bjhm.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/library/article.cgi?uid=24500;article=hm_68_8_447 | url-status = live | url-access = subscription }}</ref> He made a substantial amount of money from this endeavour, roughly $2 million ($50 million [[real dollars]]).<ref>{{Cite book|title = Bridge Across the Abyss: Medical Myths and Misconceptions| vauthors = Madbak F |publisher = Universal-Publishers|year = 2008|isbn = 978-1-58112-987-8|page = 22}}</ref>

In 1840, at [[St George's Hospital Medical School]] in London, [[Samuel Armstrong Lane]], aided by Blundell, performed the first successful whole blood transfusion to treat [[haemophilia]].{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

However, early transfusions were risky and many resulted in the death of the patient. By the late 19th century, blood transfusion was regarded as a risky and dubious procedure, and was largely shunned by the medical establishment.

Work to emulate James Blundell continued in Edinburgh. In 1845 the ''[[Edinburgh Journal]]'' described the successful transfusion of blood to a woman with severe uterine bleeding. Subsequent transfusions were successful with patients of [[James Young Simpson|Professor James Young Simpson]], after whom the [[Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion]] in Edinburgh was named.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|title = The History of the Blood Transfusion Service In Edinburgh| vauthors = Masson A |year = 1993|location = Edinburgh |publisher=Edinburgh and South East Scotland Blood Transfusion Association|oclc=28341723}}</ref>

Various isolated reports of successful transfusions emerged towards the end of the 19th century.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ok9AQAAIAAJ|title=Scientific American, 'A Successful Case of Transfusion of Blood'|year=1880|publisher=Munn & Company|pages=281|language=en|access-date=2021-06-06|archive-date=2023-01-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230112202810/https://books.google.com/books?id=6ok9AQAAIAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> The largest series of early successful transfusions took place at the [[Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh|Edinburgh Royal Infirmary]] between 1885 and 1892. Edinburgh later became the home of the first blood donation and blood transfusion services.<ref name=":4" />