Bleeding the young dry

[Rhiannon]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/347828f8-6e7f-4a9b-92ab-95f637a9dc2e

Please tell me this is a hoax.

[Walter]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/347828f8-6e7f-4a9b-92ab-95f637a9dc2e

Please tell me this is a hoax.

okay, ill do it. Its a hoax. 

[Robbie]

I'd love it to be hoax but fear it isn't.

Blood has always been a powerful thing: was reading over the weekend about a university lecturer in Psychology, by name of Emyr Williams, in Wales who specialises in 'vampirism'.

Allegedly a student who spilled some blood saw it licked! Gross.

Granted not the same as having 'youthful' transfusions.

(Link below is not what I read,which has pay wall, but gives info)

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/extraordinary-claims-glyndwr-university-student-13502312

[Harrowby Hall]

Emyr Williams' qualifications are listed on the university website as:

BTh MPhil MSc PhD PGCPD FHEA MBPsS

His first degree would appear to be Bachelor of Theology.

The site shows his research interests as:

Psychology of religion, especially non-traditional religious beliefs among adolescents

The plaintiff in the legal action is stated in the newspaper article as a postgraduate student who "taught" at the university. She was therefore either a lecturer working towards a PhD as part of her personal development, or a PhD student working part-time as a demonstrator.

My guess is that the action is being brought in consequence of the relationship - both personal and professional - between research student and supervisor rather than the lurid episode related in the newspaper.

I suspect selective reporting.

[floo]

And when you thought the world couldn't get any crazier.............!

[Robbie]

It sure is a funny old world. Think HH may be right about selective reporting. The article I linked to above says - 'one of his students cut herself and licked the blood from the wound after one of his classes'. You would do that surely if you cut yourself, like a finger, you'd suck it almost instinctively.

Nevertheless, vampirism does happen and drinking human blood is also a sexual perversion.  Yeuch.

[jeremyp]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/347828f8-6e7f-4a9b-92ab-95f637a9dc2e

Please tell me this is a hoax.

The article has egregious falsehoods in it, but the underlying story is correct. A man is buying blood products from the US equivalent of the transfusion service and selling it at a mark up to rich old people who hope it will extends their lives.

Although he's calling it a clinical trial, it isn't one b because there is no control group and the study group is selected only from rich people.

All the stuff about vampires and sucking people dry is click bait nonsense except in the sense that one man is sucking money from naive rich people.

[Robbie]

It can't be beneficial to take someone else's blood into your body, unless it is necessary to have a transfusion to save your life.
There's something really wrong about trying to hang onto life at all costs, even when someone has lived a long life.
As jeremy says there will always be people ready to exploit that for a few bucks.

(Rhi I really hope you don't mind me having diverted your thread somewhat, it was so coincidental that I read the article about the professor and the PhD student over the weekend; i actually just found the paper again and the article I originally read was printed on the 20th so it's old news.The only connection to your thread is 'blood' & lots of weird stuff is believed about blood.)

[Shaker]

It can't be beneficial to take someone else's blood into your body, unless it is necessary to have a transfusion to save your life.

That would seem to be beneficial to most. Not all, admittedly, but most.

[Robbie]

I've not come across anyone who would want to be transfused unless they desperately needed blood like after an accident or an operation.
I used to donate blood, did it quite a few times. It doesn't take that long & best to think about something else while it's going on but it's not a pleasant, comfortable sensation. Receiving blood, if you're fully conscious, must be weird. Ifyou need it, fair enough but to invite it for no reason strikes me as ridiculous.

The idea that young blood is going to rejuvenate sounds like pie in the sky. I'm keen to hear the resuls of the 'clinical trial' but doubt there will ever be anything published.

[floo]

My daughter's father-in-law and my best friend receive blood on a regular basis for their medical conditions,  they are fully conscious when they have the transfusions.

[Robbie]

They would be conscious, I've not heard of anyone being knocked out before transfusing(unless they are unconscious from operation or accident). From what you say i presume they have medical conditions that require transfusion.They might die or at least be very sick without the transfusions so in a way, have no choice about it.

Choosing to receive someone else's blood to possibly rejuvenate is a choice & smacks of desperation, clutching at straws.