Solicitations for the annual spring blood drive begin today at both Harvard and Radcliffe. Phillips Brooks House members will conduct a door-to-door campaign for pledges from now through next Friday.

Donations placed now will be received by the Cambridge chapter of the American Red Cross during the week of April 22-26 in the Lutheran Church at 60 Winthrop St.

All students over the age of 18 and in "normal good health" may give blood; but those who are under 21 must have their parents' permission. Donors are accepted only after their medical record has been reviewed, and after they have passed a "brief and pertinent" physical examination.

PBH officials emphasize that the donation of a pint of blood is not a painful or uncomfortable experience. It produces no harmful after-effects and resistance to disease is not lowered. In previous drives the University has donated a total of 18,109 pints of blood without incident.

Last fall's drive solicited 1500 pledges and 875 actual donations. The count is usually a little smaller in the spring, and PBH has set 650 donations as the goal of the present campaign.

Student donations make up a large part of a Harvard blood bank in which all undergraduates have "unlimited credit." In addition, the Bank contributes blood to Boston hospitals, particularly in times of natural disaster or other emergencies.