The 1991 Norwich Native Son was Allen “Jack” Latham, Jr. The blood-separation technology pioneered by Jack Latham and his colleagues revolutionized transfusion methods. It has helped increase the efficiency of platelet donations and the ability to wash toxins from the blood. Doctors can collect components to transfuse, or the reverse, to take something out of a patient that is hurting them.
The Latham bowl also became a critical element of automated transfusion devices that allow doctors to clean and reuse a patient’s own blood during surgery, reducing the risk of contamination and the demand on blood banks.
Jack Latham grew up on a farm, said his daughter, Dr. Harriet Latham Robinson, so the design ”was like a milk separator.” His interest in blood processing emerged in the 1930’s after he donated blood to a friend in a failed transfusion after an industrial accident. But he did not begin work in the field for about 20 years.
In 1971, Mr. Latham founded Haemonetics Corporation where he developed and marketed blood-processing devices.
He graduated from MIT in 1930.
Jack Latham passed away in 2003.