Summary: United States War Department Film Bulletin about the military blood bank set up by the Americans in Naples in 1944.
Description: The film opens with an illustrative caption: "This is the story of the strangest bank in the entire world. It's assets are liquid -- but it's always in the red. It pays no interest -- except in the interest of your fellow man. It makes no investments and yet its profits are immeasurable -- because human lives are beyond pleasure". The film then runs through the procedures for donating blood from the initial point of donation, to the blood being used on the front line. The donors are primarily drawn from the US Army, but donations are also received from other military personnel including doctors and nurses. Donated blood must pass a series of six laboratory tests before it can be used, including three tests to determine blood type, a Kahn test to detect syphilis, and a malaria smear. Once the donor's blood has been accepted it is then packed up and dispatched as required. A consignment of blood is seen being dispatched to the island of Corsica in a C-47 Skytrain, and then transported by ship to the southern French coast, where it is met by a DUKW amphibious truck, and transferred by road to its final destination in France.
Alternative Title:
Colour:B&W
Digitised:
Object_Number:USA 170
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:
Featured Period:
Production Date:1944
Production Country: United States of America
Production Details: United States War Department (Production sponsor)
Army Pictorial Service (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 600 ft (ca); Running time: 17 mins (ca)
