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Jane M. Orient, MD
Tucson

JAMA. 1985;253(10):1389.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Existing medical facilities would obviously be unable to handle the number of burn and radiation casualties estimated by Abrams¹ in the event of nuclear war. Increases in facilities are not to be expected, in part thanks to the lobbying efforts of organizations such as Physicians for Social Responsibility. Prevention is essential.

Although millions of lives would inevitably be lost in a nuclear war, millions might still be saved, perhaps up to 70% of the population.² Burns could be prevented in many instances by the expedient of diving under a desk, because the heat energy of the fireball is released in a brief pulse that travels in a straight line. Radiation sickness could be prevented by fallout shelters. Information about such lifesaving methods is widely disseminated in the Soviet Union, where training is required of every citizen, beginning in the second grade.³ Hiatt's concern for . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Footnotes
Edited by Drummond Rennie, MD, Senior Contributing Editor.

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