2016-06-14 Tue

Karl Landsteiner, the discoverer of the blood groups, was born in Vienna on June 14, 1868.

Karl Landsteiner studied medicine at the University of Vienna, graduating in 1891. Later he pursued his interest in the field of immunology and in 1901 published his discovery of the human ABO blood group system.

His discovery of the major blood groups and the development of the ABO system of blood typing helped the physicians to transfuse blood without endangering the patient?s life.

He won the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this groundbreaking discovery and for the introduction of chemistry the science of serology.

He is also honoured with the Aronson Prize in 1926 and the Lasker Award in 1946. He is also recognised as the father of transfusion medicine.

Karl Landsteiner is honoured on stamps of many countries. A 1968 3.50 Schilling stamp from Austria celebrates the centenary of Karl Landsteiner’s birth. A $50 1993 stamp from Guyana honours Dr Karl Landsteiner on the souvenir sheet of Scientists for his contributions to blood transfusion.

A lot of information along with the portrait of Karl Landsteiner is depicted on a 1999 stamp from Romania. The stamp shows the four major blood types in one corner with the antigens (proteins) present on the surface of the red blood cells of that group. Further, there are Greek letters (??, ?, ?, O) indicating the antibodies present in those individuals' blood. Finally, the diagram in the middle of the stamp illustrates which blood types are compatible for transfusion with tiny arrows drawn from donor to compatible recipient. Phew...a lot of information is packed into this stamp!