S. William A. Gunn – författare

Defines the field of humanitarian medicine. This book gathers articles and speeches that set out the principles of humanitarian medicine, starting with the idea of health as a human right, and examining topics such as quality of life, torture, and nuclear conflict.

Thermal harm is one of the most traumatizing assaults on man and his environment. Whether suffered by living beings as burn injury, or sustained by societal structures as fire damage, the resulting physical pain and material loss can be extremely distressing both to the person and to society. The health professions and in particular burn specialists have been continually developing effective means of combating burn disease and promoting rehabili­ tation of the victims, especially in mass casualty situations. In parallel, various levels of the community have been mobilizing fire prevention and fire-fighting mechanisms that protect society and the environment from the ever-increasing hazards of fire disasters. It is therefore surprising that, while aiming at the same objective, the two sectors have rarely come together; doctor has rarely worked with fire chief. Yet both disciplines have so much to learn from and contribute to each other''s efforts. The Mediterranean Burns Club is a professional organization that brings together persons concerned with burn therapy and fire safety in all forms, especially in the countries of the Mediterranean basin. It is honoured to have been identified by the United Nations as a premier scientific body in its field within the programme of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. It is therefore natural that it should have initiated an international gathering of specialists engaged in burns as a surgical, clinical problem, and of counterparts dealing with fires as a societal, disaster management problem.

The health professions are continually developing effective techniques of burns and mass casualty management. In parallel, fire prevention and fire-fighting techniques have developed considerably in most communities. It is therefore surprising that, while aiming at the same objective, the two sectors have rarely come together. The Mediterranean Burns Club is a professional organization that brings together persons concerned with burns therapy and with fire safety in all forms. Identified by the United Nations as a premier scientific body in its field within the programme of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, it initiated the first international gathering of specialists in burns as a surgical, clinical problem, and of counterparts dealing with fires as a social, disaster problem. This novel approach and symbiosis proved timely and successful. This, the resulting book, reflects the commitment of all concerned to the reduction of fire disasters and the improvement of burns therapy.

This volume is published with a triple aim: to take a look back over the advances during the ten years of the Mediterranean Burns Club and mark its anniversary; to follow up and strengthen the successful twin­ ning of burns as a clinical, individual illness problem and fires as a societal, disaster management problem; and to look ahead at the per­ spectives of burn care and fire prevention in the fast-approaching new century. The occasion also marks the tenth annual presentation of the prestigious G. Whitaker International Burns Prize, to which the Mediterranean Burns Club acts as the scientific fulcrum. The award is now established as the most distinguished recognition in burns science worldwide, and it is gratifying that the contributions of many of the renowned recipients will be found in this book. This is a sequel to The Management of Mass Burn Casualties and Fire Disasters, which contained the Proceedings of the First International Conference on Burns and Fire Disasters. The book and the conference have fully justified the authors' initial concept that burn specialists, con­ stantly combatting burn disease and promoting rehabilitation of the victims, especially in mass casualty situations, had for too long remained separate from that other essential sector, the fire-fighting authorities and fire prevention systems, whose aim is also the protection of the individual and the promotion of safety. This long overdue synergism has now become reality, and the present volume strengthens this desirable trend.

This book seeks to define the field of humanitarian medicine. It gathers new and previously-published articles and speeches that set out the principles of humanitarian medicine, starting with the idea of health as a human right, and examining topics such as quality of life, torture, and nuclear conflict. The book takes a historical view and its contributors include Nobel laureates Kofi Annan and Joseph Rotblat.

The 2nd edition of the Dictionary of Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Relief is an essential and practical reference for all those who work in humanitarian relief.  This new, expanded edition presents more than 3000 definitions and acronyms covering the entire multidisciplinary scope of disaster medicine and humanitarian relief, as well as new fields such as climate change and bioterrorism.  As natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, and infectious disease epidemics increase in frequency and seriousness, this book is an important reference to assist international relief workers communicate with each other and with the media.  The author has served as both the director of Emergency Humanitarian Operations of the World Health Organization, as well as the WHO’s chief of scientific terminology.  As the Director-General Emeritus of the World Health Organization says in the Foreword, “This new expanded edition comes as a timely essential aid against the growing threats of inhuman violence and destructive disasters.”

The 2nd edition of the Dictionary of Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Relief is an essential and practical reference for all those who work in humanitarian relief.  This new, expanded edition presents more than 3000 definitions and acronyms covering the entire multidisciplinary scope of disaster medicine and humanitarian relief, as well as new fields such as climate change and bioterrorism.  As natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, and infectious disease epidemics increase in frequency and seriousness, this book is an important reference to assist international relief workers communicate with each other and with the media.  The author has served as both the director of Emergency Humanitarian Operations of the World Health Organization, as well as the WHO’s chief of scientific terminology.  As the Director-General Emeritus of the World Health Organization says in the Foreword, “This new expanded edition comes as a timely essential aid against the growing threats of inhuman violence and destructive disasters.”

This volume is published with a triple aim: to take a look back over the advances during the ten years of the Mediterranean Burns Club and mark its anniversary; to follow up and strengthen the successful twin­ ning of burns as a clinical, individual illness problem and fires as a societal, disaster management problem; and to look ahead at the per­ spectives of burn care and fire prevention in the fast-approaching new century. The occasion also marks the tenth annual presentation of the prestigious G. Whitaker International Burns Prize, to which the Mediterranean Burns Club acts as the scientific fulcrum. The award is now established as the most distinguished recognition in burns science worldwide, and it is gratifying that the contributions of many of the renowned recipients will be found in this book. This is a sequel to The Management of Mass Burn Casualties and Fire Disasters, which contained the Proceedings of the First International Conference on Burns and Fire Disasters. The book and the conference have fully justified the authors'' initial concept that burn specialists, con­ stantly combatting burn disease and promoting rehabilitation of the victims, especially in mass casualty situations, had for too long remained separate from that other essential sector, the fire-fighting authorities and fire prevention systems, whose aim is also the protection of the individual and the promotion of safety. This long overdue synergism has now become reality, and the present volume strengthens this desirable trend.

In recent decades natural, technological and other disasters have been increasing in frequency and magnitude, and the involvement of international organizations and professionals from different disciplines has been growing in parallel. By definition major emergencies call for outside aid and often international assistance. The many agencies and individual helpers from different countries, different languages and different specialties converge on the stricken site with the sole object of helping the victims, who are themselves of a different background and language. Communication among these people and a certain understanding of the varying terminology of the many professions and activities therefore become paramount if the difficulties of the disaster situation are not to be compounded with difficulties of communication. A common ground for understanding between doctors, engineers, meteorologists, nurses, nutritionists, planners, government officials, transport personnel and the many other workers involved in disaster preparedness, relief and rehabilitation is therefore indispensable. It is to this end that this multilingual, multidisciplinary Dictionary serves as an invaluable tool for the disaster manager, whatever his background and wherever he may be called upon to work. A precursor in Disaster Medicine, Dr. William Gunn has conducted numerous emergency missions for the United Nations and other agencies, and this Dictionary has been tested in the field and in training courses over many years.

This volume is published with a triple aim: to take a look back over the advances during the ten years of the Mediterranean Burns Club and mark its anniversary; to follow up and strengthen the successful twin­ ning of burns as a clinical, individual illness problem and fires as a societal, disaster management problem; and to look ahead at the per­ spectives of burn care and fire prevention in the fast-approaching new century. The occasion also marks the tenth annual presentation of the prestigious G. Whitaker International Burns Prize, to which the Mediterranean Burns Club acts as the scientific fulcrum. The award is now established as the most distinguished recognition in burns science worldwide, and it is gratifying that the contributions of many of the renowned recipients will be found in this book. This is a sequel to The Management of Mass Burn Casualties and Fire Disasters, which contained the Proceedings of the First International Conference on Burns and Fire Disasters. The book and the conference have fully justified the authors' initial concept that burn specialists, con­ stantly combatting burn disease and promoting rehabilitation of the victims, especially in mass casualty situations, had for too long remained separate from that other essential sector, the fire-fighting authorities and fire prevention systems, whose aim is also the protection of the individual and the promotion of safety. This long overdue synergism has now become reality, and the present volume strengthens this desirable trend.