Charles Drew

Inventor of the Blood-Bank

(1904-1950)

Dr. Charles Richard Drew (1904-1950) was the first person to develop the blood bank. His introduction of a system for the storing of blood plasma revolutionized the medical profession. Drew first utilized his system on the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific during World War II. He later organized the world's first blood bank project - Blood for Britain. He also established the American Red Cross Blood Bank, of which he was the first director.

Drew was born on June 3, 1904, in Washington, D.C. A star athlete, Drew acquired , many athletic honors and was the all-American half-back and captain of his Amherst College football team. After graduating in 1926, he spent two years as a biology and chemistry instructor and director of athletics at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 1928, Drew enrolled at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he studied medicine and witnessed a man's life being saved via a blood transfusion. He recalled this as triggering his interest in blood plasma preservation. In 1933 Drew earned his Master of Surgery and Doctor of Medicine degrees from McGill and served a medical internship at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal.

Related Sites:

Thinkquest

Idea Finder - Charles Drew

Amazon.Com - Charles Drew