Shocktrauma

by Jon Franklin

An account of the alarming incidence of death from shock and of the work of Dr. R. Adams Cowley, and the special clinics he founded, in establishing correct, rapid treatment for accident victims

Genres: Medicine, History, Medical, Politics, Nonfiction

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Darren Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book, recommended to me by my mother, soon after surviving meningococcal meningitis. I spent 2 weeks comatose, and 3 months in a specialist hospital undergoing skin grafts, and rehabilitation. The book left a profound impression on me, highlighting as it does, the work that nursing staff and medical professionals do. It is underappreciated work.

[Lenny Husen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was AWESOME. A must read for anyone who loves medical history. It reads like a novel. This book describes the state of Trauma Surgery in the late 1970's and is mind-blowing. R Adams Cowley deserves the Hero status he is accorded in this book.
Warning: extremely upsetting and truly traumatic (pun intended) read for those who are squeamish-some very gut and heart-wrenching stories about multiple people dying young. This was an inspiring book but definitely not a happy one.

There are a few humorous moments, however.

I loved that the Trauma nurses were given the recognition that they deserved; equal to the surgeons, in their role in saving a life. Freckles and Tex were wonderful and memorable characters. This was a very well-written book and even though the patients, nurses and doctors for the most part were likely amalgams of different people, they struck me as very believable. Too believable.

I totally loved learning about medicine and the routine belly taps before CT scans were a dime a dozen and about the origins of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

[PAMELA JO]

One of the best books I've read.
Surprising thing is Former Alabama Governor George Wallace accidentally saved Former President Ronald Reagan's life. NOT IN THE BOOK

People at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma (University of Maryland) had approached United States Secret Service and warned that important political people could be shot. Secret Service ignored the warning. Wallace was shot. The after Wallace's shooting, the Secret Service was there to say that should anything happen like that again, they would be arriving there. IN THE BOOK

After Wallace's shooting, things happened and GWU George Washington University became a trauma center. According to the doctors at GWU Ronald Reagan was 15 minutes away from dying when he arrived. AND, had he NOT gone to a trauma center, he would have died. NOT IN THE BOOK.

The sad thing is that President Ronald Reagan did NOT think that OTHER people in the United States
did NOT deserve to be able to go trauma centers -- even though trauma centers saved HIS life. Reagan changed "categorical grants" used "to assist and encourage the development of comprehensive emergency medical services systems" were changed to "block grants" which permitted cities to kill rats or other things instead of trying to save peoples' lives. NOT IN BOOK

NOTE: California's Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County were the last locations to receive categorical grants and they still have regional county-wide trauma systems. NOT IN BOOK

Also, this book ACCIDENTALLY saved my father's life when he had an AAA abdominal aortic aneurism because I learned what needed to be done immediately. NOT IN BOOK

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a book about true stories from the controversial Maryland hospital for trauma's and how it came to be. We went behind the scenes in the hospital to see how trauma's are treated from the scene to the hospital and then what happens when they get there. We meet some of the most dedicated Doctors and nurses that work there. We watch as Doctor R. Adams Crowley fights to get the best possible care for his patients in the first golden hour of their being hurt or sick.

[Joseph Trott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I has been many years since I read this book, but I remember it being a fascinating read, very detailed and captivating. The authors later wrote "Not Quite a Miracle: Neurosurgeons and Their Patients on the Frontiers of Medicine." That was another good one, though I must admit in that case I had a personal interest.
If you like medical drama (vs. "melodrama"), you'll like both of these.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's absolutely appalling that politics and politicians can have so much say over medical issues. It's appalling that there should have been such a fight over things that should have been self-evident. It should make state residents and subsequent units even more grateful for the good fortune that they have had.

[nineveh_rains]

Interesting history of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems and the specialised trauma ward

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! One of my favorite books of all time. It has had a big influence on some of my philosophies on how people should be treated.

[Natalie Bryson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to read about the beginning of the place that I'm working. Didn't realize it was so political.