by Pauline Young

Created on: October 18, 2009   Last Updated: October 21, 2009

In a makeshift clinic on a crowded street in Old Delhi, an elderly man practices the ancient art of bloodletting. Attracting up to 100 patients a day, he assures his loyal group of followers he can cure them of anything from lumbago to leprosy. Hope springs eternal and there is no shortage of people who believe him.

Bloodletting, or phlebotomy, has been in medical practice since antiquity up until the late 19th century. It was known as "breathing a vein" and was believed to cure anything from tonsillitis to terminal heart failure. Fortunately, our knowledge of diseases and therapeutics has improved and the practice has no place in modern western medicine.

However, voluntary blood donations play a crucial role, and without it many lives would be lost. In Australia, 34% of donations go to patients suffering from cancer or blood diseases. Another 20% is used to replace blood lost in surgical procedures or major trauma.

When I worked in primary health care, patients would sometimes request a path lab test for their blood type. The reasons would be diverse and invariably have no clinical basis. Those who were keen to follow the latest blood group diet would be advised to attend their local blood donor center. There they would be part of a vital public service, and in return would receive a laminated donor card with all the necessary details. I fervently hoped that at least some of them would become regular donors.

Becoming a blood donor involves filling out a basic health questionnaire, getting weighed and having your blood pressure and hemoglobin checked. This is done on each visit and is an important screening tool for those who would otherwise avoid health clinics.

Having your weight measured each visit can be a powerful motivation to keep it within a healthy range. It becomes too easy for some of us as we age to ignore the subtle upward drift, and this can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes. Likewise, blood pressure can be an important indicator of cardiovascular health. Keeping it within recommended guidelines reduces your risk of strokes or heart attacks.

For whole blood donors, only the hemoglobin is checked. If this is too high it can suggest a disorder of the red blood cells and needs further investigation. If the hemoglobin is too low you will not be able to donate blood until the cause of the problem has been identified. It may be as simple as an iron-deficient diet or as sinister as an underlying malignancy.

Sometimes donors are asked to become plasma

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