From:	Wafflemeisters <evamarie@**********.NET>
Subject:	Re: Giving blood in 205X: common or rare
Date:	Thu, 21 May 1998 05:41:38 -0500

>
> Re: Giving blood in 205X: common or rare (Quantum , Wed 21:24)

> Ok, I can see the problems involved here, and I agree with what a lot of
> people have aleady said about most of the blood being produced
> artificially - however, having said that, does the common denizen of
> ShadowRun times really know that much about ritual magic?
>

Actually, one thing nobody has mentioned is P4MO, whic would fill most
of the demand for blood (it was DESIGNED as a synthetic blood
replacement) in many situations- surgery and trauma treatment are the #1
blood consumers, AFAIK, and its OK for both those situations, where
supplieing oxegen is more important than plasma related factors.
Also, alternate therapies would reduce demand by persons such as
hemophilics.
I'd assume blood drives are a thing of the past.

As for common knowledge of ritual samples and sorcery, that would come
from movies and TV (Magic is a very popular plotelement). While such
info might be distorted, folks would be more likely to think a mage WAS
taking a ritual sample when he wasn't, than the other way around.

> Which leads to another interesting question - is there still a public
> health service run by the governmenbt, or has it been taken over by a corp
> - like Lone Star?
>

I think public hospitals are rare in the UCAS, but more common other
places, particularly nan and ex-nan nations. (including aztlan)
"Public" hospitalsmay well be privatized in many cases, jus as lone
starISthepolice, but also a private corporation. DocWagon often
holds"exclusive Contracts", IE, they are the ONLY providers of Emergency
Medical Response in an area. I imagine the Govt. allows this in return
for sweet deals on contracts, equipment, and garunteed area coverage.

-Mongoose X