MLO conducted a survey asking readers what surprised them most about the olden days of laboratory testing. The survey followed the publication of the compelling story, “Seventy-five Years Beside the Microscope” by William K. Dettwyler, MT, MLS in MLO’s November/December issue.
Survey findings were fairly split, with the highest percentage of participants (35%) saying what surprised them most was: On an HIV patient, William did a finger puncture, drew up blood in a pipette by mouth, and then aspirated and blew back the blood in a tube to mix with the cyanmethemoglobin solution.
Additional findings:
· 30% answered hematology involved visually counting red and white blood cells on slides.
· 17% said in the 1950s, a patient’s thyroid test was based on a laboratorian’s BMR measurement.
· 24% chose in the 1960s, laboratorians used their own blood for blood and chocolate agar.
· 24% were most surprised that William could estimate blood cell count with his naked eye.
The story follows the journey of Dettwyler’s remarkable laboratory career and the evolution of the field. If you have not read it yet, read it here.
