Medicine: Faith & Blood

Flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof) shall ye not eat.

Genesis 9:4

Members of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect interpret this injunction as a divine ban on blood transfusions. Their view of the matter caused commotion in two Texas hospitals last week.

In Odessa, Grace Marie Olliff, 20, lay critically ill after an auto crash in which her skull, pelvis and left leg were broken. Doctors said that she must have blood transfusions to save her life. The patient said she was not a Jehovah's Witness, would accept the blood. But her father William, 51, pushed into her room and shouted:...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!