The story of Charles Richard Drew - The scientist who initiated the blood bank, saving millions of lives

Charles Richard Drew's great invention directly contributed to saving thousands of lives during World War II, and continues to contribute to the life-saving work of the entire world of medicine later.

As one of the most important surgeons, educators, and innovators of the 20th century, Charles Richard Drew paved the way for the safe storage, handling and transport of plasma. His legacy not only saved many lives during the war, but also revolutionized the storage of plasma through blood banking.

The urge to study medicine

Born in 1904, Drew was the eldest of five children. From an early age, he showed an aptitude for studies and sports. While in high school, his sister suddenly died of tuberculosis, and this inspired Drew to decide to study medicine.

In 1922, his athletic ability earned him a football and athletics scholarship to attend Amherst College in Massachusetts. Drew was one of only 13 black students out of 600, and on the football field he had to overcome many stigmas from other teams.

Drew completed her bachelor's degree from Amherst College in 1926 but lacked the resources to study medicine. To make ends meet, he took a position as a biology instructor and coach for Morgan College (now Morgan State University) in Baltimore for two years, before entering McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Charles Richard Drew paved the way for the safe storage, handling and transport of plasma.

At McGill, Drew immediately proved himself, winning the J. Francis Williams Medical Prize and the annual fellowship award in neurosurgery, working in the McGill Medical Journal, and being elected to the prestigious institution. Medical Project Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed his medical degree and master's degree in surgery in 1933.

Innovation saves thousands of lives

Upon graduation, Drew began an inpatient internship at both the Royal Victoria Hospital and the Montreal General Hospital. From this point on, he began to look at issues related to blood transfusions, also known as intravenous (IV) blood transfusions.

When he began his doctoral studies at Columbia University, where he worked with a physician named John Scudder, Drew continued his research in the aforementioned field of blood transfusion. The two have jointly conducted extensive research in blood preservation and fluid replacement, culminating in the development of an experimental blood bank, which ran smoothly for seven months.

Drew's 1940 doctoral thesis entitled "Blood Reserve: A Study of Blood Preservation" further cemented his leading position in the field.

Drew's breakthroughs in blood preservation are timely.

Drew's breakthroughs in blood preservation were timely, as World War II was raging in Europe at the time, and Great Britain needed large quantities of blood and plasma to treat wounded soldiers. love. Leveraging the experimental blood bank they've just built, Drew and Scudder are at the forefront of the 'Blood for Britain' program to ship plasma overseas.

Plasma transport is an important requirement in the emergency department. Blood contains two main components, red blood cells and plasma. The job of red blood cells is to carry oxygen throughout the body, while plasma transports water, proteins and electrolytes.

Although it does not contain red blood cells, plasma has an important role in helping to replace essential fluids and treat shock - two essential tasks that save a life. In addition, the plasma itself is easier to store and transport, and can be used with any blood type.

Plasma transport is an important requirement in the emergency department.

Under Drew's direction, his team has developed new ways to extract, preserve and transport plasma on a large scale, allowing up to 5,000 liters of life-saving plasma to be shipped to the UK.

Inspiration to live forever

Following the success of the 'Blood for Britain' program, Drew was appointed assistant director for the US blood banking system, funded by the American Red Cross and the American Research Council.

During this time, he built a number of mobile blood donation stations, later known as blood delivery stations. However, as soon as the United States entered the war, the armed forces enacted a policy that prevented blacks from donating blood for racial reasons. This wrong decision led to Drew's resignation from the National Blood Bank in April 1941.

After leaving the National Blood Bank, Drew focused on training and mentoring students at the Howard School of Medicine. According to the American National Museum of World War II, he often pays out of his own pocket to help his students attend conferences and present their research.

Statue of Charles Richard Drew.

On April 1, 1950, tragedy struck. Drew was in a serious car accident while on his way to a clinical conference and died of his injuries. Despite his sudden death, his legacy is carried on through the people he inspired, including his daughter, Charlene Drew Jarvis, PhD and research scientist at the Institute National Mental Health United States.