In September, 1958, a blood sample was referred to us for Rh-typing. The patient had nine pregnancies, each one of which ended in a miscarriage at the third to seventh month. She belonged to the blood group A, and the Rh₀ (D) factor was positive. Her serum agglutinated all the red cells used in the test (except her own cells) both at 37C and at low temperatures. In the presence of complement, hemolysis was observed at 37°C against random test cells.
Further investigations revealed that her red cell was Tj (a-), and the agglutinin in question appeared to be independent of ABO, MNS or Rh system. Therefore, the authors concluded that her serum contained Tj^a antibody. Our diagnosis was later confirmed by Drs. P. Levine, R. Sanger and I. Dunsford.
Since the discovery of Tj^a antibody by Levine et al., in 1951, this antibody has been demonstrated only in 16 individuals of 10 families throughout the world, so that the authors have discovered the eleventh family of Tj^a antibody. None of the members of this family, except the patient herself, was found to be Tj (a-).

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According to Wintrobe, it has repeatedly been shown that there is no difference in counts made on venous blood as compared with capillary blood, if proper precaution to secure a freely flowing sample is taken in each instance.
We have found that the specific gravities of capillary and venous blood, using copper sulphate method for hemoglobin determination, are compared, the specific gravity of capillary blood from the ear lobe is about 0.004 higher than that of venous blood. Consequently, the percentage of donors qualified on the basis of copper sulphate specific gravity of 1.052 (venous blood) corresponds generally to that of donors to be accepted at copper sulphate specific gravity of 1.056 of capillary blood from the ear lobe.
Thus the difference between the specific gravities of venous and peripheral blood from the ear lobe is significant, and this fact is not to be ignored.
The average counts of leucocytes and red cells made on capillary blood from the ear lobe are slightly greater than those of venous blood. The plasma specific gravity (Gp) of capillary blood from the ear lobe, calculated from the nomogram based on blood specific gravity (Gb) and hematocrit (Ht), is also somewhat higher than that of venous blood.
It seems conceivable that stasis in the capillaries and subsequent changes in the biood composition may normally occur in the ear lobe than in the vein.

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