Emergency War Surgery Author:Thomas E. Bowen (Editor), Ronald F. Bellamy (Editor), NATO The success of any military health care system in wartime is directly related to the number of casualties adequately treated and returned to duty with their units. This must be accomplished as soon and as far forward in the theater of operations as possible. — This handbook should serve as a constant reminder that ours is a high calling. We... more » are here to save lives, not to destroy them. We are committed to the future, not the past, and to the primary mission of military medicine, with is to keep the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines alive and whole: in the words of Abraham Lincoln, to minister to "him who has bore the brunt of battle".
This revised edition represents the contributions of talented and gifted health professionals from the military services as well as from the civilian sector. All who contributed have the grateful appreciation of the editorial board for the enthusiasm, dedication, and perseverance which made this revision possible.
Second United States Revision of the Emergency War Surgery NATO Handbook, or simply Emergency War Surgery, was published in 1988. Until being superseded by the Third United States Revision in 2004, it was the primary war surgery handbook for the United States. It was edited by Thomas E. Bowen, M.D., BG, MC, U.S. Army, and co-edited by Ronald F. Bellamy, M.D., COL, MC, U.S. Army.« less