A Review of the First Seminar That Set the Stage for the Creation of the American Burn Association.

Abstract

As the first civilian burn center in the United States, the Evans-Haynes burn center shares a rich history with the American Burn Association. This is evidenced by a review of Dr. B.W. Haynes Jr's personal notes, which were shared with us by his daughter. Dr. Haynes states, in his own hand writing, that this 1959 burn seminar led to the formation of the American Burn Association. The manuscript contains a meticulous collection of discussions among leaders in the development of modern burn care. These discussions range from debates about burn resuscitation and the early use of antibiotics to the reconstruction of large burn defects and release of burn scars. We propose a detailed discussion of Dr. Haynes's notes. In addition, we include a review of the participants in this event as well as some of their accomplishments. In conclusion, this article provides a rare insight into the history of burn management and highlights the many challenges that remain in modern burn care.