Nine Pints: A Journey Through the Mysterious, Miraculous World of Blood

Really thought provoking book.Was really intrigued by the chapter on HIV in South Africa.Expected a chapter on leukemia, but not a topic covered in this book.Easy reading, well researched.Heard about the book from Bill Gates’ reading list.

Love Rose George’s writing style. Her research is deep and organized and her thoughts follow a logical sequence to help the reader explore the world of human blood through historical, scientific and social contexts. Would recommend reading.

First half of the book is an excellent historically coverage of use of blood transfusions. Second half is ok but gets bogged down in details of female products and blood fraction products.

In Nine Pints Rose George does for blood what she did for human waste in The Big Necessity. Nine Pints covers issues ranging from the birth of the British blood donor service to the history and current state of medicinal leech usage to the politics of menstruation.She weaves a story around each topic, offering a very readable combination of fact, anecdote, and analysis.Despite that, I must admit my interest did flag in one or two places. I think when I read The Big Necessity it introduced me to a number of topics which I had never considered before, and which I think weren’t widely discussed. With Nine Pints, much of the material was familiar to me and has featured in mainstream media.Indian social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, aka Pad Man, has received extensive publicity for his efforts to make good sanitary protection available to women (there has even been a movie made about him) and the terrible treatment of haemophiliacs given contaminated blood has been covered in the light of the public inquiry in the UK.Other things were new though, such as the role of scientist Janet Vaughan, whose work helped make blood transfusion standard practice and was instrumental in the organisation of blood banks during World War 2, and the long and complex life cycle of the leech! More literal chapter headings might have been useful, so that readers could focus on the topics that interest them.Overall, it’s an interesting read and offers a fresh perspective on something that is so familiar we often don’t give it much thought.*I received a copy of Nine Pints from the publisher via Netgalley.

The tension between the original motivation for writing this work and that which is still not well understood about the red liquid circulating our bodies percolates through the storyline. While the latter is fascinating, there is so much more to know.

I have mixed reactions about this book. It is well written and mostly well researched. The sections on modern blood donation and transfusion in the UK and its origins are exceptional. My problems lie with chapter 5 on blood plasma ('the yellow stuff'). George shows admiral insight in recognising how the blood establishment (transfusion services and transfusion medicine) turn a blind eye when it comes to the preparation and use of products derived from blood plasma - products ranging from albumin, used in the treatment of countless patients in every hospital every day, to anti-D, used to prevent thousands of women from having rhesus babies. However, despite giving an excellent account of haemophilia before effective treatment was devised (pages 150-1), she goes on to accept numerous allegations by haemophilia campaigners uncritically. At the end of the chapter she quotes a "vocal campaigner" Bruce Norval, a haemophiliac in his 50's who by her own account (page 151) would not have reached the age of 20 without effective treatment. That Mr Norval has had his life extended by over 30 years is overlooked, not only by Ms George, but by Mr Norval himself who has made a career out of vilifying the doctors who saved his life. This is the tragedy that needs to be explored.

There are nine chapters in this insightful, well-paced account of the science, politics and social history of blood. Each may be read on their own, but put together they provide a meticulously researched and referenced journey (she even asked my advice on Twitter regarding legislation and definition of ‘components’ vs ‘products’!)George starts by donating blood herself and follows this with a tour of the processing department at NHSBT Filton, noting how the language subtly changes from one of altruism and ‘gift’, to ‘pack’ and ‘unit’ along the way - all familiar stuff to those of us who have studied or used components in the UK, but then she ‘goes global’, providing frightening descriptions of a number of international paid donor schemes and contaminated blood scandals.She also puts our cosy assumption in the US and Europe, that HIV is limited to niche groups and can be effectively controlled, into harsh perspective as she describes a runaway juggernaut of infection amongst black men, women, young boys and girls in South Africa where multiple partners and effectively selling sex to improve lifestyle are the norm.There is an illuminating account of the individuals who were driving forces behind the establishment of ‘blood banks’ internationally, where once again massive advancements are made during periods of human conflict, and is not alone in remarking how reluctant the medical fraternity are to adopt new concepts.Blood is variously described as a valuable resource, pint for pint more expensive than oil, to a dirty and taboo subject, requiring young girls to spend a week outside (literally) of the family home during their periods. George is not afraid to travel to meet, (or confront) key players, and her interview with the man who produces affordable sanitary pads in India highlights entrepreneurship at its finest.We move seamlessly from transfusing blood to removing it, and there is a fascinating account of a visit to a leech farm in Wales, where their products still have a big part to play in trauma and plastic surgery.George concludes her journey bemoaning how little we actually still know about blood, while at the same time offering a hint of hope for the future in the production of laboratory-grown red cells.A traditional text-book this certainly is not, but it IS a gripping read and thoroughly recommended to give a healthy dose of perspective to the science.

At times lovely, at times disturbing, this book covers a number of different aspects about blood.Its scientific complexity, its cultural meaning, its as yet unfathomable mystery. Always informative, sometimes uncomfortable, this book will take you around the world with a liquid that takes goodness around your body.

This is so interesting. A great gift for so many people. The curious, medical, anyone who has ever given blood or had to receive a donation. Wonderfully written by Rose George. She investigates every possible avenue around the subject. The five stars are not given because the book arrived on time (which it did); those stars are for a brilliant read.