Board of Directors Meeting
July 19, 1951.
Meeting called to order by the President at 8: P.M. Members present were:
Royal W. Rudolph, President Harry E. Thompson
O.J. Farness, V. President Lindsay E. Beaton
W.B. Steen, Sec.-Treas. Leo J. Kent
Hugh C. Thompson W.R. Manning
Harold W. Kohl Donald B. Lewis
Edward M. Hayden W.R. Hewitt
Members of the Pima County Society's Red Cross Committee were invited to this meeting, and those present were:
M.A. Carreras, Chairman
George O. Hartman
Ralph H. Fuller
A motion that the reading of the Minutes of the previous meeting be dispensed with was made by Dr. Beaton, seconded by Dr. Kent, and carried.
This mid-summer special meeting was called to consider a problem concerning the Red Cross Blood Bank, and Dr. Hartman was invited by the President to present it to the members present. Dr. Hartman said that the building which now houses the Red Cross is being sold, and that the Red Cross must either buy it or find another place. Negotiations to buy, he said, are on foot, but because the National Red Cross is concerned to the extent of providing funds, they want to know whether the Blood Center here is on a firm basis as far as the Medical Society is concerned. He said that the intention of the Red Cross is to enlarge the Blood Bank facilities, if it is continued here. It was moved by Dr. Harry Thompson that the Red Cross be informed that the Medical Society has no immediate plans for another Blood Bank. Dr. Kent seconded the motion and it was carried.
The President then read Dr. Lesemann's letter concerning reservation of blood for elective surgery cases, and the replies from the Staff Chairmen of County Hospital and St. Mary's. This plan calls for "only reserving as much blood as was donated" for the individual concerned, and Dr. Hartman stated that this could not be done, because as long as blood is available it is there for whoever needs it.
Dr. Beaton remarked that Dr. Lesemann felt that the first thing to protect was the hospital, so that surgery would not have to be cancelled, and secondly, to protect the Red Cross, so that there would not be too heavy a drawing without notice. Dr. Hugh Thompson inquired whether this meant that the patient would have to have the blood donated ahead of time. Dr. Hartman said that as long as blood is available it is there for whoever needs it, but that the Red Cross would like to know ahead of time as far as possible on elective cases. Dr. Hugh Thompson said that this would be contrary to the whole Red Cross idea. Dr. Hartman said that the difficulty is that no one has any idea how many times people call up and say that they were told they had to replace two for one, etc., that this gives the whole thing a bad name, and they are very loath to donate blood. Dr. Farness said that his patients repeatedly have had letters
