Karl Landsteiner bibliography

Karl Landsteiner bibliography

Introduction

In the past not much emphasis was put on the blood and no one knew that it had groups, for them blood was blood until Karl Landsteiner researched and came up with the aspects of blood groups. All the contributions surrounding blood and even the aspects of blood clumping together, he was the one who pioneered. Below is his story.

Biographical Background.

Karl Landsteiner was born on 14^th June 1868 in Baden Wien, Austria- Hungary. He practiced both biology and physics in America and Austria and he is noted for his great contribution in the blood group. He distinguished blood groups in 1900 using the modern system of classification. Together with Alexander S. they discovered about the Rhesus factor and this enabled the process of blood transfusion. After Landsteiner’s father died while he was 6 years old, he became very close with his mother, Fanny. He took up the study of medicine in University of Vienna   after graduating from secondary school, afterwards he wrote a thesis in his doctorial level.  His contribution on the knowledge of blood started while he was still a student, he wrote and published an article concerning the diets that influence the composition of blood.  He discovered new blood groups in 1927 and this made a great contribution to the work he had begun 20 years ago. These types were M, N and P, and they were used in performing paternity test to prove blood relation.

This study is an area of interest because of the rising cases of disease that are related to blood, an example being HIV and also cases that arise from early child deaths as a result of agglutination related cases.

Contribution to Microbiology

Karl found out that when blood from two people are mixed they agglutinated or clamped together forming lumps. This scenario made him curious and as a result he decided to research on the reason behind it. He found out that the result was due to the contact of blood serums. He used the blood serum to identify three types of blood groups; A, B and O. He also found out that destruction of blood cells did not necessarily occur when transfusion was done on people   with the same blood type but it occurred when the blood groups differed. His research and contribution made possible the first successful blood transfusion that was done in 1907. He also found out that people with blood group AB could accept donation from any person, whereas those with blood type O could donate to any person.  With this knowledge doctors use blood with no serum when they are performing transfusion. He received a Nobel peace prize in Physiology or medicine for the achievements that he brought in the field of medicine.

Personal Summary

I did not get a chance to meet Karl Landsteiner but his contributions made me love the field of medicine. Aside from his research being easy and quick to understand, it has also helped save many lives in the process.

Biographical summary.

1. Name: Karl Landsteiner.
2. Occupation: Biologist and Physician.
3. Place of Birth: Baden bei Wien, Hungary- Austria.
4. Date of Death: June 26, 1943 with the age of 75.
5. Education: University of Vienna, Rockefeller Institute of Medical research in New York.
6. Awards: Nobel Prize in Physiology of medicine, Clinical Research Award in 1946.

Reference

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Gillispie, C. C. (1981). Dictionary of scientific biography. Scribner.

Landsteiner, K., & Jacobs, J. (1935). Studies on the sensitization of animals with simple chemical compounds. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 61(5), 643-656.

Landsteiner, K., Wiener, A. S., & Matson, G. A. (1942). Distribution of the Rh factor in American Indians. The Journal of experimental medicine, 76(1), 73-78.

Rechcígl, M. (2011). Czech American bibliography: A comprehensive listing with focus on the       US and with appendices on Czechs in Canada and Latin America. Bloomington IN:       Author House.

Simpson, G. G., Roe, A., & Lewontin, R. C. (2003). Quantitative zoology. Courier Corporation.