Why Varying Blood Types Can't Be Mixed Together

The first blood transfusion happened back in the 17th century, but the modern-day version of the blood transfusion didn't happen until hundreds of years later. The transfusions that happened in the 1600s were very primitive and experimental, and one even included lamb's blood, but a major discovery in the early 20th century revolutionized the future of transfusions. In 1901, the world first learned about different blood types, and just a few years later, the first modern-day transfusion took place. Why does it have to be done this way? Let's take a look at why different blood types can't be mixed, and what happens when they are.