Dr. James A. Wolff. I. Early progress in treatment of Rh hemolytic disease

Dr. James Wolff's interest in hematology began while he was assigned on the transfusion service in a field hospital in the European Theatre during World War II. His interest was increased during his pediatric residency at the Boston Children's Hospital (1945-1947). At that time, Dr. Louis Diamond was involved in his important studies on treatment of erythroblastosis fetalis by exchange transfusion. Drs. Farber and Diamond were also involved with the initial clinical trials of aminopterin for the treatment of acute leukemia. The concept of treating erythroblastosis fetalis by exchange transfusion grew from our understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease, as first explained by Philip Levine and Alexander Wiener. Three techniques of exchange transfusion were tried. Diamond's umbilical catheter technique, because of its relative ease and simplicity and because it could be used for multiple exchanges, soon became the accepted method for treating infants with erythroblastosis fetalis.