r . 4 yey as TO Enka tat a teereel Adequate care to injuries and burns suffered in an atomic explosion present a problem of great magnitude, While the types of injuries, aside OR Sete eras a, from the radiation hazard, are similar to those encountered in ordinary bomb- "MANOHemme: ing or other catastroche, the large numbers of individuals involved in an atomic blast, and the general chaos that results, present a problem whose solution requires a great deal of careful planning and preparation. It would be unrealistic to prepare for fewer than 40,000 to 50,000 severely burned persons from a single atomic explosion, This number of a burn casualties, together with injuries of other types such as fractures, contusions, abrasions and radiation sickness, would demand enormous amounts of supplies to prevent unnecessary loss of life. Ideal treatment would be impossible under such disaster conditions. Treatment for these casualties would deplete current local supplies | in a very short period of time. some idea of the civil defense health supply problem may be derived from the amount of first-aid supplies which would be needed for the first week of treatment of casualties in numbers comparable to those at Hiroshima. It is estimated that with efficient packing nearly 100 railroad boxcars or 175 large trailer vans would be required for transportation of only the most elementary life-savinz surgical supolies. Fortunately, severe symptoms from radiation in those not killed out- right do not ordinarily come on until several days after the acute exposure, so that those suffering from burns and mechanical injuries will actually . constitute the chief immediate medical problem and make their heaviest : demands on emergency facilities at a time when those suffering solely from [acute radiation will require very little attention. DO’ ARCHIVES