Most of the transplant programs in our days are based on cadaveric donation; blood has been not recovered from dead bodies, except by some Soviet groups. We selected 16 subjects, eight with brain death and eight with "biological" death (heart arrest) that were considered as ideal donors. From them we obtained 23 units of whole blood, either by surgical dissection of the internal jugular vein, by puncture of the femoral artery or by puncture of a peripheral arm vein. Twelve were not used due to bacterial growth, HBsAg positivity or hemolysis. Of the remaining, we obtained 10 packed red cells and 10 units of plasma, one unit was transfused as whole blood. Three plasma units were discharged due to "turbidity". Sixteen patients for whom it was difficult to get a voluntary donor were transfused with some of the products and followed for as long as they remained in hospital. None showed adverse reactions due to the procedure. We conclude that the organization of any program related to the transplantation of organs is not a simple matter, but that blood is easily recovered and that this should be done always as part of the "total use" of a donating body; cadaveric blood transfusion is harmless provided donors are carefully selected and that the sterility of the product is confirmed by culture.