; ;

Charles Drew: Distinguished Surgeon and Blood Researcher

This biography is of Dr. Charles Drew and his amazing contributions to science concerning blood.  Born in 1904 in Washington DC, Drew, an African American, had more opportunities for a solid education.  Because of DC’s large African American population, schools were good.  He excelled in sports, was a dedicated student, and received a scholarship to Amherst.   Wanting to begin school before fall, he instead attended McGill University in Montreal.  There he realized a dire need for a reliable blood supply.  He returned to Wash. DC as a doctor and surgeon.  He was chosen to study and train with renowned doctors and in 1939, learned how to preserve blood for transfusions.  This led to the life saving creation of the blood bank.  During WWII, Dr. Drew experimented with plasma, the fluid in blood.  It could be preserved and used more easily than whole blood.  The Red Cross organized a donor program and a blood mobile was used for transportation.  Because of racism, the military refused to accept blood from non-whites.  Drew left the Red Cross and returned to teaching, becoming chief of staff, and medical director at Freedman Hospital.  Dr. Drew died at 45 as a result of a car crash.  Some speculate about his care as hospitals were still segregated at the time.  A remarkable story about a remarkable man.  Photographs and sidebars are on every page.  One can read and respond to primary sources.  Diagrams, questions to ponder, glossary, resources, and index included.