Jewess Sues Physicians for Alleged Theft of Blood for Transfusion

A doctor’s dilemma is now occupying the attention of the legal and medical world in Poland in connection with an action brought by a Jewish girl, Rachel Schuster, against doctors. The charge is that the doctors extracted blood from the girl while she was lying unconscious in the hospital for the purpose of blood transfusion. The girl claims that this is an ordinary case of theft, and in addition to claiming damages demands also that the doctors be punished.

On the other hand the doctors claim that the girl was aware of the extraction of blood. Alternatively, they claim that as the blood was required for the purpose of saving life the extraction, even if the girl was ignorant of it, was perfectly justified.

The girl suffered in her early childhood from infantile paralysis, from which she had entirely recovered, consequently developing in her blood a natural resistance to this illness. Infantile paralysis is now raging in Poland and only by the transfusion of blood from those who have successfully recovered from it can a cure be affected.

The doctors claim that altogether 25 grams of blood were extracted from the girl, who had recovered from the operation on the second day, while the girl insists that she was swindled, and informed that the extraction was necessary so that her blood could be tested for purposes of her health.

The girl has now handed the case to the public prosecutor and an interesting trial is to be expected on whether or not the extraction of blood is to be considered as theft. On the other hand, a public trial may be avoided, as the authorities of the hospital are still trying to arrange terms with the girl so as to avoid action in court.