Monday, December 31, 2012

Falling Homicides Thanks To Advances In Medicine


Front Page News

The Wall Street Journal on 12/8/2012 published a long front page article titled “In Medical Triumph, Homicides Fall Despite Soaring Gun Violence” (subscription required).

Some excerpts from this article:
“Improved medical care doesn’t account for the entire decline in homicides but it experts say it is a major factor.”
“… more people survive because of the spread of hospital trauma centers … the increased use of helicopters … better training of first responders …”
“… the estimated number of people wounded seriously … by gunshots … rose 47%  to 30,759 in 2011 from 20,844 in 2011 …”

Confirmation Of Anecdotal Evidence

This article kind of confirms observations such as the famous almost miraculous survival of former Congress woman Gabrielle Gifford despite a gun shot in the head at close range.

Not least since the first Gulf War, we have learnt of dramatic improvements in medicine that saved the lives of severely injured US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Future Is Even Brighter

I believe strongly, that the excellent care that Congress woman Gifford received is only the beginning for future gunshot victims. I surmise, in a few years we are able to restore damaged brain cells.

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