The 2nd edition of the Dictionary of Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Relief is an essential and practical reference for all those who work in humanitarian relief. This new, expanded edition presents more than 3000 definitions and acronyms covering the entire multidisciplinary scope of disaster medicine and humanitarian relief, as well as new fields such as climate change and bioterrorism. As natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, and infectious disease epidemics increase in frequency and seriousness, this book is an important reference to assist international relief workers communicate with each other and with the media. The author has served as both the director of Emergency Humanitarian Operations of the World Health Organization, as well as the WHO’s chief of scientific terminology. As the Director-General Emeritus of the World Health Organization says in the Foreword, “This new expanded edition comes as a timely essential aid against the growing threats of inhuman violence and destructive disasters.”

In recent decades natural, technological and other disasters have been increasing in frequency and magnitude, and the involvement of international organizations and professionals from different disciplines has been growing in parallel. By definition major emergencies call for outside aid and often international assistance. The many agencies and individual helpers from different countries, different languages and different specialties converge on the stricken site with the sole object of helping the victims, who are themselves of a different background and language. Communication among these people and a certain understanding of the varying terminology of the many professions and activities therefore become paramount if the difficulties of the disaster situation are not to be compounded with difficulties of communication. A common ground for understanding between doctors, engineers, meteorologists, nurses, nutritionists, planners, government officials, transport personnel and the many other workers involved in disaster preparedness, relief and rehabilitation is therefore indispensable. It is to this end that this multilingual, multidisciplinary Dictionary serves as an invaluable tool for the disaster manager, whatever his background and wherever he may be called upon to work. A precursor in Disaster Medicine, Dr. William Gunn has conducted numerous emergency missions for the United Nations and other agencies, and this Dictionary has been tested in the field and in training courses over many years.

This popular dictionary covers the following subject areas: Anaesthesiology - Forensic medicine - Microbiology - Occupational medicine - Dermatology - Gynacology and obstetrics - Otorhinolaryngology - Stomatology - Traumatology - Neurology and psychology - Ophthalmology - Pediatry - Surgery - Urology. Volume 1, the German-English volume of this acclaimed work, contains some 92,000 terms and 180,000 translations. Volume 2, English-German, offers 67,000 terms and 130,000 translations.