IS EVERYONE’S BLOOD THE SAME?

In the first blood transfusion ever performed, the patient was given animal blood. The patient soon died, but nobody could understand why.

When the blood of different animals proved useless, the idea was born of transfusion from human being to human being. Experiments were performed with individuals thought to possess plenty of blood and who were selected at random. Most of these experiments also ended in failure, however. The first physicians engaged in blood transfusions were unable to fully analyze and understand this important fluid, because of two of its properties. One was the way that blood swiftly clots outside the body, and the other was the likelihood of the person to whom they gave the transfusion dying.79 There had to be some different factor in blood that the physicians were unable to unravel. This factor was not discovered until the appearance of the science of biochemistry.

It was possible to fully understand the blood and the various factors in it only in the last century. Yet blood has been flowing through our veins and fulfilling its functions ever since human beings were first created. No doubt this is the superior creation of God, Who reveals His greatness and infinite power in all things.

Not until the early 20th century did scientists discover that blood does not consist of a simple red fluid. Various factors may make one person's blood different to another's. Therefore, in order for blood transfusions to be given, these factors must be compatible in both parties. What we refer to as blood type is the determination of these special factors. There are more than 300 of these factors that determine blood type, each one of which distinguishes you from most other people.

The properties that determine blood type are concealed in the red blood cells. Among the 200 different molecules in the red blood cell membrane, those of perhaps the most interest are the molecules that give the blood its type—A, B or 0. Red blood cells carry either type A or type B molecules, or very occasionally, both together (AB), or none (0).

Red blood cells with type A molecules also contain antibodies against type B molecules. Therefore, when anyone with type A blood is given type B blood, the immune system goes into action within a few seconds and tries to destroy this foreign substance. The consequences are exceedingly severe. Blood cells burst, blood coagulates. The liver and kidneys become unable to function properly. Unless intervention takes place immediately, the result is generally death.

Type 0 people, who have neither molecule in their blood, have developed antibodies against both these molecules. They can receive blood only from people lacking the two molecules—in other words, from people with type 0 blood like themselves. People with both molecules, with type AB blood, on the other hand, have not developed antibodies against either molecules. They can receive blood from either type A or type B individuals.

Another molecule on the red blood cell of just as much importance as these others is the Rhesus (or Rh) factor. If this is in the red blood cells, then the blood type will be Rh-positive (Rh+); otherwise, it will be Rh-negative (Rh-). The major significance of the Rh factor manifests itself in blood incompatibilities during pregnancy. A Rhesus negative pregnant woman will produce antibodies to the Rhesus positive fetal blood. These antibodies do no harm to the first baby. However, any second baby with the Rhesus factor is subjected to attack by these antibodies, now ready and waiting in the mother's bloodstream. The antibodies target the baby and destroy its fresh erythrocytes. Anemia and heart diseases manifest themselves. The baby may well be stillborn, and even if it is born alive, toxic bilirubin will have formed in its body as a result of the breaking down of its red blood cells. This substance generally damages the brain and gives rise to mental impairments, or even death.80

It became possible to understand the nature of blood only in the last century. Yet blood has been flowing in the veins of every human being who has ever lived, discharging its duties and carrying various materials, factors and molecules. That human beings cannot even fully comprehend this miracle should increase their submission to and adoration of God.

God is the Almighty, superior to all things, Who has the power to perform all that He desires. He is the Shaper, the Giver of Form (Al-Musawwir). He is the Safeguarder (Al-Muhaymin), the Protector. And God is the Supremely Great (Al-Mutakabbir), He Who reveals His might in all places and events. We must appreciate Him properly, and see and understand the names of our Lord in the things He has created, and must turn to Him. Those who turn to Him will reap the benefit in this world and in the Hereafter. In one verse God reveals:

He is God—there is no god but Him. He is the King, the Most Pure, the Perfect Peace, the Trustworthy, the Safeguarder, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Supremely Great. Glory be to God above all they associate with Him. (Surat al-Hashr: 23)

4 FAST FACTS ABOUT FIRE

Fire is FAST!

There is little time!

a.. In less than 30 seconds a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house. In minutes, a house can be engulfed in flames. Most fires occur in the home when people are asleep. If you wake up to a fire, you won't have time to grab valuables because fire spreads too quickly and the smoke is too thick. There is only time to escape.

Fire is HOT!

Heat is more threatening than flames.

a.. A fire's heat alone can kill. Room temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees at floor level and rise to 600 degrees at eye level. Inhaling this super hot air will scorch your lungs. This heat can melt clothes to your skin. In five minutes a room can get so hot that everything in it ignites at once: this is called flashover.

Fire is DARK!

Fire isn't bright, it's pitch black.

a.. Fire starts bright, but quickly produces black smoke and complete darkness. If you wake up to a fire you may be blinded, disoriented and unable to find your way around the home you've lived in for years.

Fire is DEADLY!

Smoke and toxic gases kill more people than flames do.

a.. Fire uses up the oxygen you need and produces smoke and poisonous gases that kill. Breathing even small amounts of smoke and toxic gases can make you drowsy, disoriented and short of breath. The odorless, colorless fumes can lull you into a deep sleep before the flames reach your door. You may not wake up in time to escape.

Knowledge!!!

A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.

A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.

A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

A snail can sleep for three years.


Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

Almonds are a member of the peach family.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

Butterflies taste with their feet.

Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds. Dogs only have about 10.

"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.

In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

If the population of China walked past you, in single file, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

If you are an average American, in your whole life, you will spend an average of 6 months waiting at red lights.

It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.

Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament building is an American flag.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.

Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

"Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand and "lollipop" with your right.

The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.

The cruise liner, QE2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet.

The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.

The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).

There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

There are more chickens than people in the world.

There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

There's no Betty Rubble in the Flintstones Chewable Vitamins.

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks; otherwise it will digest itself.

........ Now you know everything