The silent epidemic.

Abstract

Burns are occurring in epidemic proportions in the United States. The incidence of burn injuries in the United States exceeds that of every industrialized country, and deaths and crippling due to burns in this country, currently, are considerably greater than the mortality and morbidity due to poliomyelitis in the peak epidemic year of 1954. The impact of burns upon patients and their families is profound. For instance, to save an individual with a 50% burn, intensive treatment in a modern medical facility is required for about four months. However, despite such care, the mortality is about 50%. Furthermore, the cost to salvage a patient with such a life-threatening injury would be at least $36,000. Although a few highly specialized centers have lowered dramatically the mortality for patients with large burns, it is clear that such ideal care will not be available to the majority of burn victims in the near