Chukky,
Regarding:"I appreciate your reply, and some of the points that you have raised ,but what of certain fractions THAT WERE AVAILABLE but not considered scriptural at a specific time AND WERE LATER ALLOWED. Lets use the example of Factor viii, a blood clotting fraction of blood that is used extensively for haemophiliacs. This fraction was available for some time before the society allowed its conscientious use..and yet....it can be a life saving fraction.
Also fractions such as interleukins that are used for treating some cancers, make up a tiny fraction of blood and are passed through the mothers breast milk...yet these i beleive cannot be accepted.
The other thing that i wanted to mention was the storage of blood. Why is it that fractions can be accepted, when they have evidently been stored for a time as whole blood ??? If storage isnt an issue here, then what is wrong in storing your own blood before an operation??"
It may have to do with more informaton becoming available on those fractions. It may have been learned, for instance, that albumin is naturally available in non-blood items such as eggs and vegetables, and at the point it may have been decided that accepting that factor can be left up to the individual. I do not know why certains fractions can be stored and they accepted. I thought storing our own blood for future use was a matter of conscience.
I am actually researching this topic. I got a book called "Your Body Your Choice", written by Jehovah's Witness apologists. Unfortunately, it does not include a index page, where I can check topics quickly. I was told that there is also a recent dissertation on Jehovah's Witnesses and blood transfusion, which was also written by a brother. The dissertation supposedely discusses the history of JW's and there objections to transfusions, and may include info on the issues of factors. I am trying to find out the full title to see if I can get a copy of it. Edwin Mellen Press also released a new book on JW's and transfusions, but it is a bit expensive. But I will probably buy it to research the topic.