First published in 1972,
Edward D. Churchill’s Surgeon to Soldiers:
Diary and Records of The Surgical Consultant, Allied Force Headquarters, World War II
offers a unique perspective as wartime memoir. As the chief surgical consultant in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, Colonel Churchill preferred to spend his time in the field observing and analyzing conditions on the ground. His notes contain timeless precepts on combat casualty management, reveal his approach to navigating Army regulations and red tape, and illustrate his highly effective style of leadership and mentorship, all under austere conditions. Some eighty years later, the wisdom in these pages remains highly relevant. In this new edition, Jeremy W. Cannon and Eric A. Elster—both veterans of the Global War on Terror—pair Churchill’s original content with new commentary by the next generation of military surgical leaders and their military and civilian mentors.
Shares the
detailed and intimate wartime insights
of the Chief of Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, who promoted early debridement of contaminated wounds, established regional blood banks to facilitate blood transfusion, and improved the process of casualty evacuation
Discusses wartime medical and surgical challenges, the need for organizational reforms, and the importance of research on the battlefield, offering a
timeless and relevant framework
for casualty management in a large-scale conflict
Includes
commentaries from members of the Excelsior Surgical Society,
the military chapter of the American College of Surgeons, to provide current context for Churchill’s reflections and insights
Offers
historically interesting chapters
on management of shock, thermal burns, and surgical wounds, as well as
currently relevant discussions
of communication up the chain of command and connection with allies
Provides a firsthand account of
how to integrate and adapt civilian surgical expertise to military organizations
, while presenting many personal profiles of icons in American surgery who contributed to the war effort
Contains appendices with
additional content on specific injury patterns
, including a definitive summation on the surgical management of combat injuries in the Mediterranean theater at the time of the fall of Rome
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