Volume 53, Number 1
Winter 2002

Medicine and War

FEATURE ARTICLES

Editorial: On the Front Lines

"Front lines' creates an image of foxholes, K rations and male bonding under fire. But this is 2002, not 1942, and we are fighting a different war."
By Stacey Kerr, MD

The Clinician’s Role in Bioterrorism Response

“While alarm bells sound, we are moving quickly to learn as much as we can about illnesses and disease patterns that most of us have only read about in medical school.”
By Leigh Hall, MD

The Hospital at Ground Zero: Lessons of September 11

“September 11 was my shift. Between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., we treated approximately 500 patients, including 12 severe multitrauma cases and 50 serious fractures, lacerations or burns.”
By Tony Dajer, MD

Disaster Preparedness at the St. Joseph Health System

“It is no secret that our community would face several challenges in dealing with a significant disaster. The largest challenge is the amount of Emergency Room and hospital bed space.”
By Brian Schmidt, MD

Emotional Responses to Terrorism

“As we witness unimaginable and horrendous scenes, we share a common vulnerability and a profound loss of faith in universal values, kindness and reverence for life.”
By Donald Apostle, MD

Under the Towering Buddhas

“From 1974 to 1976, my wife and I lived in Afghanistan. We were Peace Corps volunteers, the only foreigners living in Bamiyan, a village high in the mountains of central Afghanistan.”
By Peter Baginsky, MD

DEPARTMENTS

Local Frontiers: Threats to Our Water Supply

“Water quality threats to the Russian River take many shapes. All of them are important to the health and safety of Sonoma County’s wildlife and citizenry.”
By Fred Euphrat, PhD

Local Frontiers: The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine

“The integrative psychosomatic network is the scientific foundation for the concept of ‘biological energy,’ which is central to all complementary and alternative healing systems.”
By Bob Dozor, MD

Medical Arts: Getting the Dying Part Right

“Why did we not get taught about the dying part? Dying was at least as common as birth, and we all learned the basics of prenatal care, labor, and delivery. Death, however, was always viewed differently.”
By Cathy West, MD, DrPH

Outside the Office: In Galen’s Footsteps

“Any local guide will be quick to tell you that Pergamum gave us parchment; but he or she will probably not say that Pergamum also gave us Galen.”
By Armand P. Gelpi, MD

Practical Concerns: Implementing HIPAA Requirements

“You don’t have to spend untold thousands on HIPAA consultants and distant seminars. Instead, you can educate yourself about HIPAA by using readily available materials and attending local workshops.”
By Krista Rector

Current Books: Silent Warfare

“Authored by three New York Times reporters, Germs gives an excellent account of the history of bioterrorism. The seeds of germ warfare, of course, lie in the natural world.”
By Heather Furnas, MD

SCMA News

Obituary