Luis Agote

Argentine physician who revolutionized transfusion medicine with safe blood preservation

Dr. Luis Agote (1868-1954) made medical history in 1914 by performing the first safe blood transfusion using sodium citrate as an anticoagulant. This breakthrough:

• Reduced transfusion mortality from 60% to under 5%
• Enabled blood storage for 21 days
• Saved millions in WWI trench hospitals

Despite international recognition, Agote refused to patent his discovery, stating "Science should be humanity's common heritage." His transfusion device prototype remains displayed at Buenos Aires' Hospital de Clínicas.