To help commemorate the American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Centennial, the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons is reprinting articles centered on the issues and developments that have defined the character and integrity of the organization throughout its 100-year history. This month, the Bulletin is reprinting the foreword and general information from “The Principles and Outline of Fracture Treatment,” published in the March 1931 issue. The Fracture Committee of the ACS, which subsequently evolved into the Committee on Trauma (COT), developed and wrote these standards under the leadership of then Committee Chairman Charles L. Scudder, MD, FACS.
This reprint describes the pathology of fractures and the process of repair after fracture. It outlines the general principles of treatment, including first aid, examination, diagnosis, and treatment. The rest of the issue (not reprinted here due to space constraints) presented information on fractures of special bones, traction and countertraction, aphorisms, and the use of X rays.
This document demonstrates the College’s commitment to ensuring that trauma patients received prompt, high-quality care from both general practitioners, who typically provided emergency care, and experienced surgeons, who treated more complex and difficult injuries. The College’s dedication to training all health care professionals in the appropriate methods of caring for the injured patient lives on today in the Advanced Trauma Life Support® program and the other activities carried out through the COT.
