Blood and Disaster

To the Editor: Dr. Schmidt (Feb. 21 issue) 1 appears not to appreciate the powerful need people have to give blood when a tragedy strikes or the potent symbolism involved. When America's Blood Centers, whose community-based network provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply, learned that there was little need for blood after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, we asked the public on September 12 to donate blood in the weeks ahead. Many, although not all, were satisfied to schedule memorial donations, but most of our centers collected little blood that was not transfused into patients. Schmidt notes that . . .