A comparison of deaths from injury. 1947-56 compared with 1962-71.

Deaths from injury occurring during a recent 10-year period at the Birmingham Accident Hospital were compared with those occurring during a similar period 15 years earlier. Reliable comparisons were not possible because of changes in policy that tended to reduce the delay in getting badly injured persons to hospital. The figures did show: 1. A slight increase in the number of deaths from domestic accidents which might account for: 2. A slight increase in the number of deaths following fracture of the femur. 3. A slight decrease in the number of deaths from road accidents. 4. A slight decrease in the number of deaths following head injury and a tendency for these deaths to be delayed in the second 10-year period. 5. Deaths following injuries of the trunk were mostly due to bleeding and some of these could be looked on as examples of failure in diagnosis or resuscitation or both. What still remains true is that prompt diagnosis and resuscitation, and well-judged definitive treatment offer the best prospect of reducing mortality. Accurate diagnosis may owe much to technical aids but it also requires observation of physical signs in the light of well-known patterns of injury.