The Role of the American College of Surgeons in the Treatment of Fractures

¹ Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

It is obvious from this very brief summary the far-reaching impact, the wide spheres of influence, and the stupendous role that the American College of Surgeons has played in the development of better therapy of fractures and in the rehabilitation of the injured.

The primary approach has been simplification, not standardization, of treatment and the establishment of principles by which the treatment of fractures and other traumata may be continually improved.

The College's fundamental concept of the surgeon's responsibility to his patient has been emphasized repeatedly, that in good fracture care the surgeon's duty to the injured person goes further than simply to see that he is properly splinted and transported from the scene of an accident. His responsibility is not fully discharged until, with after-care by a properly trained team and with follow-up treatment, the maximum restoration of function has been obtained.

The great need for more thorough education at undergraduate and graduate levels in the field of trauma has been particularly emphasized, and active liaison has been increasingly established with other organizations which are concerned with the care of the injured, as wider fields in the applications of objectives and techniques have been developed.

It has been said that the successful activities of the Fracture Committee have constituted the greatest contribution made by the American College of Surgeons to the American public and to the medical profession. In the words of Fred Coller: "The Fracture Committee of the American College of Surgeons has accomplished as much to help the injured as any other influence in modern surgery has done."

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