Safe Passage Questioned: Medical Care and Safety for the Polar Tourist

In October 1995 a conference of physicians, scientists, and polar explorers was convened at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, England. With one voice these experts spoke out about the need for improvement in the standards of safety and medical care for the polar tourist. The conclusions of the world-class experts who attended the conference form the basis for this first-ever book addressing an important need. The editors have skillbally synthesized the presentations of the conference attendees and drawn on their own experience and that of other knowledgeable experts to prepare a comprehensive look at the field of polar travel, medicine, and safety.

Included are a brief overview of the polar regions, the history of polar exploration and tourism, various nations' experiences at Antarctic bases and how they relate to tourism, possible concerns about medical care and safety for tourists in the Arctic and Antarctic, the potential hazards onboard ships, helicopters, and Zodiac-type boats as well as recommendations for safety and well-being for tourists and the doctors who serve them. A comprehensive, well-illustrated chapter on hypothermia and cold injuries clarifies the latest scientific information on this pertinent topic.

Particularly useful to physicians and tourists are the discussions of the qualifications to be a shipboard physician, the medicines and equipment needed for polar tourism, preparations for avoiding or handling disasters, and recommendations for tourists on what they can realistically expect to encounter in polar travel. For ship's doctors, travel agents, and prospective polar travelers, the information and anecdotes in this definitive book will beinvaluable.