Jehovah's Witnesses Alternatives to Blood Transfusions 1973 - pediatrics version

by OrphanCrow 9 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  OrphanCrow

  The Hospital Liaison Committees got their start in Canada in the early 70s.

  3 books/volumes were produced in 1973 and became the 'handbook' that was used by JWs in negotiating the no blood care of JW patients who required blood transfusions.

  James Penton, in the third edition of his book Apocalypse Delayed, gives some background on how these 'medical' volumes came about:

  pg 430
  At the time of the establishment of the hospital committees, a number of large meetings were held in Toronto at which numerous prominent Canadian Witnesses were present. As a result of the "hospital work", three books containing photocopied articles from medical journals and the popular press were produced and bound at the society's Toronto branch. These were Jehovah's Witnesses - Alternatives to Blood Transfusions in Adults, Jehovah's Witnesses - Alternatives to Blood Transfusions in Minors, Jehovah's Witnesses - Alternatives to Blood Transfusions. Most of the material in them was compiled by Alex Tost, a former Watchtower missionary and chemist from Hamilton, Ontario. Interestingly, in preparing these books, no attention was paid to copyright laws.

  Penton mentions that the book contains medical studies and clippings from popular press but it also contains legal writings by Glen How and it contains a section of clippings from WT literature supporting the JWs' choice to refuse blood transfusions.

  This is the book that was used by the JWs who were negotiating with doctors and hospitals in the 70s. The book carried a lot of weight - the introduction contained a veiled threat that legal problems would arise if the JW patient's wishes (the WT wishes) weren't adhered to, and that threat was backed up by the weight of Glen How's legal articles contained in the volume.

  I am grateful to the person(s) who took the time to make one of these volumes available as a digital file, along with a letter by Alex Tost outlining the use of the books. This volume that has been digitized is the pediatrics version.

  Download entire volume and Tost letter here:

  Jehovah's Witnesses - Alternatives to Blood Transfusions

  
  

  A couple links to posts I have made previously concerning material I have found in this volume/book:

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/289504/dr-kevorkian-endorses-wts-child-sacrifice-doctrine

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4856993229570048/jw-child-first-pediatric-patient-receive-acute-normovolemic-hemodilution-1970
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  OrphanCrow

  Credit goes to Kim for taking the time to scan this book. That was a lot of work - over 600 pages now archived and accessible. Valuable.

  And much thanks to James Penton for updating his third edition of Apocalypse Delayed to include background on how this book came about. When I first came across a hard copy of this volume 5 years ago, there was no information about what the book was or how it came about. The book does not contain ownership information or copyright clearances. Thank you to James Penton for explaining why that is. (I knew he would know! Lol! I had speculated that Penton had been around the Canadian Bethel at the time it was compiled. The update is much appreciated and now I am waiting to read Penton's 3rd edition of Apocalypse Delayed - I have it on order - excited to see what else Penton has added)

  Mike and Kim's video:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eKNYiTqmbc&feature=youtu.be
  
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  Newly Enlightened

  If you all look at the letter that Trost wrote. It says it is a NEW edition ...and has a few more articles that deal with minors & adults.
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  OrphanCrow

  If you all look at the letter that Trost wrote. It says it is a NEW edition ...and has a few more articles that deal with minors & adults.

  Ah, yes, I see that.

  It is too bad that Trost's letter isn't dated.

  The volume likely went through a few additions and slight revisions during those early days of production. After all - it was being photocopied and bound individually to begin with. And, revised as need arose - the adult version would have come later - many technological surgical advances were done on the pediatric population first and then later implemented into adult care

  
  *edit to add - I will have to take some time to go through the volume you have scanned and see if there are any additions to the hard copy of the book I have
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  Newly Enlightened

  Great, please let us know. Scott who sent us the book just sent me this... it looks like this version is the 3rd one mentioned

  
  
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  Newly Enlightened

  Christian Freedom has converted the pdf into a 'searchable ' one

  http://www.mediafire.com/download/gwzdpgcyjy7owzm/1973+Jehovah%27s+Witnesses+Alternatives+to+Blood+Transfusion+-+SEARCHABLE.pdf
  
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  wifibandit

  Thank you!

  1973 Jehovah's Witnesses Alternatives to Blood Transfusion

  1973 Jehovah's Witnesses Alternatives to Blood Transfusion - SEARCHABLE
  
  
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  OrphanCrow

  Well, it looks like I have the title of this thread wrong. My copy is exactly the same as this one and from the information given...it is likely the full volume including adults, minors and pediatrics.

  The handbook has sure grown since the time it was first compiled. This is the 2001 version of 10 volumes:

  https://bibliovirtual.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/guia-de-ahorro-de-sangre-en-el-hospital-de-torrevieja/

  Contrast that abundance of material, that the HLC has at their disposal to use in negotiating a JW patient's care, with this new 'worksheet' examining blood belief. This is what the JW patient is basing their blood refusal belief on :

  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4oXVPm4nrmfTTUzcFVBRHh6b28/view
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  wifibandit

  Thank you OrphanCrow !

  Should that site ever go down, I have archived those PDF's here:

  Helping Hands: Blood Conservation Techniques and Perioperative Planning - May 2001
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  OrphanCrow

  I would like to make a comment about something that Mike and Kim said in their video. Around the 8:00 mark, they claim that the Watchtower of July 1, 1951 - which is included in this bound volume - had said it was okay for Jehovah's Witnesses to use their conscience in deciding to get blood transfusions.

  This is an error of interpretation. The article does not say that. That particular answer was given in response to the question as to how JWs regard other people - not them. The Watchtower did not say JWs could use their conscience.

  This is the quote in full and it comes at the very end of adamant opposition to blood of any form for JWs. It is a concern as to whether JWs oppose blood transfusions for people other than themselves:

  • Then are we to conclude that Jehovah's witnesses

  oppose the people's use or transfusions'?

  That would be a wrong conclusion, Jehovah's

  witnesses do not oppose the people's use of

  transfusions, but allow each 'one the right to

  decide for himself what he can conscientiously

  do. The Israelites felt bound to abide by Goer's

  law forbidding the eating of meat with the blood

  congealed in it, but still they had no objection

  whatever to those outside God's organization

  doing it, and even supplied unbled carcasses

  to outsiders who regularly ate such things

  anyway. (Deut. 14:21) Each one decides for himself,

  and bears the responsibility for his course.

  Jehovah's witnesses consecrate their' lives to

  GOD and feel bound by his Word, arnd with these

  things in view they individually decide their

  personal course and bear their personal responsibility

  therefore before God. So, as Joshua once

  said to the Israelites, "If it seem evil unto you

  to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom

  ye will serve; ... as for me and my house.

  we will serve Jehovah."-Josh. 24:15, AS.