The Use of Blood Volume Studies as a Clinical Aid in Intravenous Therapy *

In any hospital in which there is an active blood bank, clinical problems dealing with the adequate maintenance of the fluid as well as the cellular components of the circulation are continually encountered. Many instances have occurred where patients have received inadequate replacement therapy, but equally serious have been the times when excessive use of blood, plasma, or fluid has resulted in deleterious effects on the patient. It has been customary to rely on the hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum protein, or "clinical judgment" to arrive at the correct solution to these problems.