Blood : An Epic History of Medicine and Commerce

A history of human blood as a resource and humanity's attempts to understand and exploit it. The mythic and moral symbolism of blood, which has been with us since ancient times subtly endures. It clouded professional judgments and public perceptions in the AIDS scandals of France, Canada, and Japan. This liquid became symbolically transformed as society learned how to deconstruct and manage it. In the early 20th century, the concept of blood moved from the magical to the biological, recognized as a therapeutic liquid transfusible from one creature to another. Scientists developed techniques of mass collections, storage, and the separation of plasma, just in time for WW2. Later, the liquid that saved so many lives became the basis for a global industry.