Classification of burns : a history of development; with comments for today and thoughts for the future

Abstract

"Burn injuries have afflicted man from the times of primitive civilisation and universally are acknowledged as all too frequent. Most occur in the home to the younger and older age groups and so measured in terms of human sorrow are all the more personal and tragic. Undoubtedly thermal trauma is a major world health issue and in a country like India has become a greater hazard to wellbeing than leprosy. The treatment of burning injuries has received much attention over the centuries yet results, especially in the more extensive forms, remain uncertain. Traumata from sharp and blunt objects lend themselves to accurate classification and to appropriate measures, but with burns no generally acceptable form of classification has been up to now capable of relation to methods of treatment. What are the difficulties? The aim of this thesis is to trace the evolution and significance of the various classifications of thermal injury and to submit a final summary of the attitude of the present and possible procedures for the future." -- from the Introduction.