Hope you all get the chance to visit AFIP (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology) Museum, adjacent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda.

http://www.afip.org/

I know it sounds a bit macabre, but the museum is a fascinating collection of the effects of trauma and disease on our armed forces for well over a century.

The exhibits on technology used in pathology is unsurpassed.

During that conflict, it was decided to take copius notes not only of the individual cases, their treatment and results, but to also maintain records of the wounds and injuries themselves.

Thousands of images were recorded by collosian, wet-plate, tin-plate and other methods of the “before and after” effects of wounds. Many of these were published in the Official records of the Nedical department after the war, so that other surgeons could see what had happened, how it was treated, and what the results were.

Statistical tables were also maintained so that the medical side of the war effort would be preserved for analysis by historians and anyone else interested.

In fact, many of the practices developed during and after the appointment and service of Jonathan Letterman formed the basis of today’s battlefield medicine, and some are not that much changed today. Triage, dedicated Ambulance Corps, Portable field Hospital, layered protocols, dedicated surgeons, administrators, nurses, etc.

I am glad to see this new effort. Anything that can be done to further our understanding of the nature of trauma and it’s effects, will be of great benefit to developing and perfecting new treatments that will save lives in the future.

respects,

Congratulations to whoever thought of this. Our dead heroes may indeed help prevent injuries or death to others.

You are the Master Scribe. These Warriors are not going down without a fight. Even the Dead continue to fight, *outstanding*. “Grumpy”

One final service.

Beautifully said, Lex.