ABSTRACT
Somediseasesaredefinitelyassociatedwith,orcausedby,bloodgroupantigen-antibody reactions(seebelow),butthemedicalliteratureisrepletewithunusualexamplesofassociations ofbloodgroupsanddisease.ManyofthesearepurestatisticalassociationsofABOblood groupswithcertaindiseases.Someoftheseassociationshavemadesomefamousblood transfusionscientistssuggestthatsuchassociationsarepartofthemythologyofblood transfusionmedicine(1-3).Examplesofsomeearlyreportsthatledonetosuspectthatthe associationswereduetothemisuseofstatisticswerereportedbyProkopandUhlenbruck(4). Forexample,in1927,Warnowskystatedthat"hangover"ismorepronouncedinpersonsof groupA,andthatmembersofgroupBdefecatethemost.Inthesameyear,Bohmerfound thattherewasanincreasedincidenceofgroupBamongcriminals.In1930,Sukfoundthat personsofgroup0hadthebestteethfollowedbythoseofgroupAB,whereasAandBpersons weresupposedtohavetheworstteeth.Therewereseveralpaperscorrelatingbloodgroupswith personalitytraits.Infact,Schaerwroteabookonthesubjectin1941;hefoundthatgroup0 individualshavelesssatisfactorystrengthofcharacterandpersonalityandgroupBindividuals wereimpulsive.Otherassociationsintheearlyliteraturehavebeenmadewithhomosexuality, lesbianism,platonism,sadism,andevenflatfeet.
