JAMES BLUNDELL

by: Najma Abdullahi

Class: Pre-med 2

Roll number:2044

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biography

Early life

Findings

Books

Lifestyle

JAMES BLUNDELL

BIOGRAPHY James Blundell

Born:19 January 1791

Died;15 January 1878

Nationality :English physician

Accomplishment: performed the 1st successful transfusion of

human blood to a patient for treatment of a hemorrhage.

EARLY LIFE

James began his education under Rev. Thomas Thomason, and his uncle, the

physiologist John Haighton. He developed an interest in the medical field, and

studied at Guy's Hospital in London. Like his uncle, who had developed several

instruments still used today for the delivery of babies, James specialised in the

field of obstetrics.

Later he graduated from the University of Edinburgh Medical School with his

MD in 1813. A year later He began his career in London by lecturing on

midwifery and physiology.[2]

 By 1818, he succeeded his uncle and became the lecturer on both subjects at

Guy's Hospital where his classes on obstetric and the diseases of women were

reported to be the largest in London.

CONT’In 1818, Blundell proposed that a blood transfusion would be

appropriate to treat severe postpartum hemorrhage. He had seen

many of his patients dying in childbirth, and determined to

develop a remedy.

Therefore, Blundell conducted a series of experiments using

animals, and observed that as long as the blood was transfused

quickly, a transfusion would be successful with a syringe even

after it had been collected in a container. He also discovered the

importance of letting all the air out of a syringe prior to the

transfusion.

FINDINGS

Dr. Blundell extracted four ounces of blood from

the arm of the patient's husband using a syringe, and

successfully transfused it into the patient. Over the

course of five years, he conducted ten documented

blood transfusions, five of which were beneficial to

the patients, and published these results.

During his life he also devised many instruments

for the transfusion of blood, many of which are still

in use today

BOOKS

He became the author of Researches Physiological

and Pathological in 1824 and wrote two papers on

abdominal surgery and blood transfusion, both

edited by S. Ashwell. Later publications

include Principles and Practice of Obstetricy in 1834

and Observations on some of the More Important

Diseases of Women in 1837.

He became a fellow of the Royal College of

Physicians in 1838, and later published Hexametrical

Experiments, or, A version of four of Virgil's

pastorals... with hints to explain the method of

reading, and a slight essay on the laws of metre that

year

LIFESTYLE

Dr. Blundell retired from practice in 1847.

In his final years, it is said that he never rose

before noon, saw patients in the afternoon, dined

and then saw more patients after 8 or 9 pm.

He always carried books with him, and was able to

read them in his carriage by the installation of a

special light.

WORK CITED

James Blundell (physician)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia

Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015