History of Blood

  • 2500 BCE

    Bloodletting

    Bloodletting
    Egyptians used bloodletting to try to cure diseases.
  • 500 BCE

    Arteries or Veins

    Arteries or Veins
    Greeks distinguished between arteries (oxygenated blood from the heart) and veins (deoxygenated blood towards the heart).
  • Microscope

    Microscope
    Anton van Leeuwenhoek viewed blood cells under a microscope.
  • Transfusion

    Transfusion
    First blood transfusion performed. A transfusion is an act of transferring donated blood, blood products, or other fluid into the circulatory system of a person.
  • Blood Groups

    Blood Groups
    Karl Landsteiner discovered three blood types: A, B, and O.
  • Another Blood Type

    Another Blood Type
    Alfred Decastello discovered the fourth blood type: AB.
  • Donation

    Donation
    Percy Oliver established the first blood donor service.
  • Storing Blood

    Storing Blood
    Mayo Clinic developed a method to store blood for transfusions.
  • Blood Bank

    Blood Bank
    Dr. Bernard Fantus established the first blood bank
  • Rh Protein

    Rh Protein
    Karl Landsteiner discovered the Rh protein, which tells if the blood is positive or negative.
  • AIDS

    AIDS
    First case of HIV/AIDS reported in the Congo.
  • Cause of AIDS

    Cause of AIDS
    Robert Gallo identified the virus that causes AIDS
  • ELISA Test

    ELISA Test
    Development of the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test to screen for diseases such as HIV by detecting and measuring antibodies in the blood.
  • Infectious Diseases

    Infectious Diseases
    Scientists began developing blood-screening test for infectious diseases.