NEW DELHI: Improvisation is [a] familiar technique adopted by the fighting services, but little is known of the extent to which it is employed by Indian Railways. A notable instance is the transformation of a tourist car into a blood transfusion coach.

To meet the needs of a blood bank, a tourist car released by the South Indian Railway has been converted for use by the Army Transfusion Service that will tour the country and collect blood from voluntary donors. In one of the compartments, a refrigerating unit of the Frigidaire type has been fitted, as well as a cabinet to hold 480 pints of blood. The refrigerating unit is worked on the brine circulation principle. The circulation of brine and air through the cabinet has been arranged under thermostatic control to maintain an even temperature of about 40 degrees R.

One compartment has been left intact for use as a bedroom for the Medical Officer by night and as a rest room for blood donors by day. At the other end, there is a small store room and a laboratory. To provide the power required for the refrigerating equipment, a mobile generating van is attached to this coach. (Dawn, Delhi)

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2014