Timeline: The History of blood.

2500 BCE

Egyptians

The Egyptians used bloodletting to try to cure diseases.

500 BCE

Distinction of veins and arteries.

The Greeks made a distinction between arteries and veins.
Veins can carry oxygenated blood from the heart to various parts of the body while the arteries carry deoxygenated towards the blood.

1659

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek viewed the first blood cells under a microscope.

1795

First transfusion

First blood transfusion was performed; it is an act of transferring donated blood, blood products or other fluid into the circulatory of a person.

1901

discovery of blood types

Karl Landsteiner discovered three blood types : A, B and O.

1902

Discoverry of AB blood type.

Alfred Decastillo discovered the fourth blood type : AB.

1922

First blood donor service

Percy Oliver established the first blood donor service

1935

Mayo Clinic

They developed a method to store blood for transfusion.

1937

first blood bank

Dr. Bernard established the first blood bank.

1940

Discovery of the Rh protein.

Karl Landsteiner discovered the Rh protein. It explained a common medical disorder known as " erythroblastosis fetalis ". Women with Rh-negative pregnant with a Rh-positive baby could create complications during the second pregnancy.

1959

First case of AIDS.

First case of AIDS recorded in Congo. HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and destroys T-helper cells, and makes copies of itself inside those cells. Aids is thus the result of HIV.