Book review: Broken Bodies, Shat­tered Minds

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 54, No. 6, July August 2012, Page 287 News
By: Jean Lauzon, MD, FRCSC,

book cover for broken bodies, shattered minds

Broken Bodies, Shat­tered Minds. By Dr Ronald J. Glasser. 2011. ISBN 1933909471. Paper­back: 280 pages. $17.95.

In this book, Vietnam veteran Dr Ron­ald J. Glasser explores the differences in battlefield injuries between the Vietnam War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Due to advances in medical care and body armor, an unprecedented number of war-injured veterans are returning home with multiple amputations, severe burns, posttraumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injuries. The cost of caring for these veterans will be staggering. The human cost is immeasurable.

In today’s wars, there are 16 casualties for every death. In the Vietnam War, the ratio was 2.4:1. “That’s the reason the VA is being overwhelmed,” Glasser says, referring to the Department of Veterans Affairs. “Nobody ex­pected 16 casualties for every death.”

Dr Glasser’s description of the dread and foreboding experienced by soldiers at war brings a personal connection between nations and their armies. Spending every day on the battlefield wondering if there will be a to­morrow takes an untold toll on our soldiers. The very least a nation should do is take exemplary care of its veterans.

Broken Bodies, Shattered Minds is a must read for anyone who is too eager to support sending our troops overseas to fight wars for obscure reasons and with no clearly determined goal. Realizing the true human cost of war may help change our current war policy. 
—Jean Lauzon, MD, FRCSC
Dr Lauzon is a BC general surgeon whose service in the Canadian Military included missions to both Afghan­istan and Bosnia.

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Dr Lauzon is a BC general surgeon whose service in the Canadian Military included missions to both Afghan­istan and Bosnia.

Jean Lauzon, MD, FRCSC,. Book review: Broken Bodies, Shat­tered Minds. BCMJ, Vol. 54, No. 6, July, August, 2012, Page(s) 287 - News.


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