This month US Medicine focuses on the widespread medical problem that is diabetes. Affecting over 17 million Americans, or 6.2% of the population, almost 6 million of this population does not even know they have the disease, according to The Obesity Society at www.obesity.org.

Some of you young men think that war is all glamour and glory but let me tell you boys, it is all hell! —Major General William Tecumseh Sherman

The famous phrase, “War is hell,” is attributed to General Sherman, who likely knew this subject better than most based on his exploits during the Civil War. In September 1864, he directed the inhabitants of the city of Atlanta to be evacuated before his army entered the city to burn it.

The Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application (AHLTA) is the military’s electronic health record system. It is a system that many federal providers love to hate.

“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing—after they’ve tried everything else.” Attributed to Winston Churchill 1874-1965
It is unclear if Winston Churchill actually ever said this, though there are a number of versions (all attributed to him) on the Internet. Nevertheless, as a student of American history the truth of this comment resonates with me. Particularly in light of the recent American healthcare reform bill debate. 

Every surgical patient at Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, underwent a chest X-ray. It is not my typical practice to review chest X-rays prior to beginning a regional anesthetic, but this was not my typical practice.