The Rh factor

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Who

Alexander S. Wiener and Karl Landsteiner, both Jewish; the preventive treatment was proved by Ronald Finn, also Jewish

When

1937–1940 (discovery); 1961 (prevention)

Where

New York, United States and Liverpool, England

Mothers whose blood is Rh-negative can be sensitised by an Rh-positive baby and then attack the next one, and haemolytic disease of the newborn used to kill or damage thousands of infants a year. Alexander Wiener and Karl Landsteiner identified the Rh factor that explained it. In Liverpool, Ronald Finn showed that giving the mother an antibody injection just after birth clears the baby's cells before her immune system can learn them, and the disease can simply be prevented. All three were Jewish. Rh disease has since become rare wherever the injection is given.

Sources

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.