[The development of transfusion medicine (author's transl)]

The development of transfusion medicine started from the attempts to transfuse blood in animals in the 17th century and the first fruits were seen in the second half of the 19th century. About 1800, however, Blundell introduced a new development which brought fundamental changes with the elucidation of the problems of defibrination, the phenomenon of hemolysis and coagulation. At the beginning of the 20th century the serological problems were solved by Landsteiner's discoveries. The introduction of anticoagulation permitted the conservation of blood and led to the discontinuation of direct blood transfusion in favour of indirect transfusion of conserved blood. This considerably enlarged the functions and possibilites of transfusion medicine which opened into the development of blood component therapy with its opportunities for optimal care of the patients.