Charles
Drew, born June 3, 1904, was an African-American Inventor. Drew
attended McGill University Medical School in Montreal where he was a
honor student specializing in physiological anatomy. He did countless
research on blood plasma and transfusions in New York City but it was
during his work at Columbia University where he made discoveries
relating to the preservation of blood. He found that blood could be
preserved and reconstituted at a later date by separating the liquid
red blood cells from the near solid plasma and freezing the two
separately.
When Charles Drew developed the system for the storing of blood plasma (blood bank) he revolutionized the medical profession. Dr. Drew then established the American Red Cross blood bank, he was the first director to do so. He also organized the world's first blood bank drive, which they called "Blood for Britain" because he helped supply blood plasma for the British during World War II, this ultimately saved thousands of lives. His official title for the blood drive was Medical Director of the first Plasma Division for Blood Transfusion. During World War II, the British military used his process extensively, establishing mobile blood banks to aid in the treatment of wounded soldiers. In 1941, the American Red Cross decided to set up blood donor stations to collect plasma for the U.S. Armed Forces.
After the war, Charles Drew became the Chair of Surgery at Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1943 Dr. Drew was selected as the first Black surgeon to serve as an examiner on the American Board of Surgery and in 1944 he received the Spingarn Medal for his contributions to medical science. In 1950, Charles Drew died at the early age of 46 from injuries he suffered during a car crash. Today, blood banks and blood transfusions are extremely important. They help save lives all over the world and because of Dr. Drew's amazing contribution numerous schools, health-related facilities and other institutions all over the country have been named in his honor. Dr. Charles Drew.. Inventor, Surgeon, Life Saver.
When Charles Drew developed the system for the storing of blood plasma (blood bank) he revolutionized the medical profession. Dr. Drew then established the American Red Cross blood bank, he was the first director to do so. He also organized the world's first blood bank drive, which they called "Blood for Britain" because he helped supply blood plasma for the British during World War II, this ultimately saved thousands of lives. His official title for the blood drive was Medical Director of the first Plasma Division for Blood Transfusion. During World War II, the British military used his process extensively, establishing mobile blood banks to aid in the treatment of wounded soldiers. In 1941, the American Red Cross decided to set up blood donor stations to collect plasma for the U.S. Armed Forces.
After the war, Charles Drew became the Chair of Surgery at Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1943 Dr. Drew was selected as the first Black surgeon to serve as an examiner on the American Board of Surgery and in 1944 he received the Spingarn Medal for his contributions to medical science. In 1950, Charles Drew died at the early age of 46 from injuries he suffered during a car crash. Today, blood banks and blood transfusions are extremely important. They help save lives all over the world and because of Dr. Drew's amazing contribution numerous schools, health-related facilities and other institutions all over the country have been named in his honor. Dr. Charles Drew.. Inventor, Surgeon, Life Saver.
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