HOW EAST DISCOVERED WEST

The title applies to period of the communistic regime directed by the Soviet Russia since February 1949 till November 1989.

Till the Second World War our country was an important cross-road between West and East and South and North since the 10^th century. The postwar Jalta Treaty shifted the former Czechoslovakia to the Eastern Block, though we represented the Central European Culture for centuries.

To remember the events regarding burn care during those 40 years of closed guarded frontiers there should be pointed out the first meeting behind the Iron Curtain organised in Prague by Prof. Burian’s school on the occasion of the 10^thAnniversary of the Prague Burn Centre: “Symposium de Ustionibus cum participatione internationali” on November 8-9, 1963 (Fig. 1).

The introductory lecture was given by A. B. Wallace. To quote: “...symposia are invaluable in bringing together workers of several disciplines to attack a particular problem. Recent advances are submitted but at the same time work of previous generations of surgeons should be recalled. Many of their observations were astute and fundamental. Since skin is complex in origin, in structure and in properties, the burn problem is of necessity difficult to solve...”

The Second International Congress for Research in Burns was organised in Edinburgh on September 20-25, 1965 by A. B. Wallace who was elected general secretary of the founded International Society for Burn Injuries (I.S.B.I.) (Fig. 2).

Three of the Czechoslovak participants were acting as founding members. A. B.Wallace closed the opening ceremony with words: “What is lacking today more than anything else is active leadership and humble dedication.”

Thereafter invitations followed to Uppsala by Prof. Tord Skoog in May 1966, and in October 1966 an invitation to Edinburgh for six months to work in a post of Senior House Officer. Three plastic surgeons - Prof. Burian’s pupils - turned to profit all experience gained in Scotland during the following years in the plastic surgery department and in the Burn Unit.

For arranging the Third I.S.B.I. Congress for Research in Burns (Fig. 3) was determined Prague on September 20-25, 1970. The congress was opened with a sermon by A. B. Wallace at the Charles University. The Visitors’ Book of the Prague Burn Center was settled and started by A. B. Wallace with the following words:

• Do more than exist - live,
• Do more than touch - feel,
• Do more than hear - listen,
• Do more than listen - understand,
• Do more than think - ponder,
• Do more than talk - say something.

The Fourth I.S.B.I. Congress took place in Buenos Aires in 1974, also attended by a few plastic and burn surgeons from Czechoslovakia.

To celebrate the 20^th Anniversary of the Prague Burn Centre there was organised a Symposium on Treatment of Burns on September 13-15, 1973 (Fig. 4). Thereupon repeated invitations to participate at various international meetings were following on.

The II^nd National Conference on Burns and Plastic Surgeons took place in Sofia on October 20-21, 1976 (see Gallery, Fig. 5) where the Czechoslovak burn and plastic surgeons made friendship with many others, especially with French delegates.

The French Burn Society hosted Czech participants at the National Meeting on Burns in La Baule on June 16-17, 1977 (Fig. 6).

For the Fifth International Congress for Research in Burns was elected by the I.S.B.I. Stockholm on June 18-23, 1978, where Czechoslovak specialists had several presentations and mutual exchange of experience was increasing (Fig. 7).

The French Burn Society repeated the successful Burns Conference in La Baule on May 21-22, 1979, again hosting Czech participants.

The German Society also arranged a symposium in Düsseldorf (Fig. 8) on September 26-28, 1979, having in- vited speaker from Prague.

The national meeting with international participation in Prague was held on May 19-20, 1980 (Fig. 9), followed by the International Symposium on Burn Disasters in Padua on September 25-27, 1980. Here were initiated close contacts and future collaboration with the Italian specialists, particularly with Palermo. To enumerate all the conferences held in Palermo would cover a whole page.

The First Afro-Asian Conference on Burns in Bombay on January 14-16, 1981 (Fig. 10) started my work in Ahmedabad in the north of India.

Significant historical event was the ISBI/WHO meeting in Copenhagen (Fig. 11), where the European Burns Association was established on May 26, 1981.

The Sixth I.S.B.I. Congress for Research in Burns in San Francisco, California (Fig. 12), was organised on August 29-September 4, 1982. There were presented numerous reports by Czechoslovak participants.

The First International Paramedical Burn Congress in Beverwijk (Fig. 13) on May 26-28, 1983 demonstrated the significance of interdisciplinary approach to burns.

The 30^th Anniversary of the Prague Burn Centre on September 25-27, 1983 (Fig. 14) was attended by hundreds of specialists from abroad, from East and West. Many other contacts with abroad were initiated.

Bruce Mac Millan (the head of the Shriners Burn Institute in Cincinnati) presided the I.S.B.I./E.B.A. Congress in Brussels (Fig. 15) on June 18-20, 1984.

Verbrennungssymposium in Leipzig (Fig. 16) on January 12-13, 1984 with attendance of many Czechoslovak burn surgeons preceded the Congress mentioned above.

The I.S.B.I. Congress together with WHO in Geneva (Fig. 17) on May 2-4, 1985 was dealing with the “Guidelines for Burn Care Services”.

The IV^th Hungarian Surgical Conference including Sectio Termico-Chirurgica in Gyšr, Hungary was held on May 23-24, 1985 (Fig. 18). There were several burn surgeons awarded “Honorary Membership”.

Tord Skoog Society of Plastic Surgeons organized Finish Meeting in Hanasaari, Espoo, on June 12-14, 1985 (Fig. 19). The event had Czech participation.

For the First E.B.A. Congress, Groningen was elected (Fig. 20). The Congress took place on October 23-26, 1985.

The First International Workshop on Psycho-Social Care in Burned Patient, presided by N. Bernstein, a famous psychiatrist from Harward, was organised in Leuven on October 28-30, 1985, hosting the invited Czech speaker (Fig. 21).

The International Meeting on Metabolic and Immunological Problems of Burn took place in Verona, on April 11-12, 1986 (Fig. 22).

The Geneva Congress on Burn Injuries discussed New Concepts in Burns and was held on June 21-26, 1987 (Fig. 23).

For the Second E.B.A. Congress, Aachen was determined (Fig. 24). The event was held on October 7-10, 1987.

All these meetings were attended by Czechoslovak participants.

Hengelhoef camp for burned children (Fig. 25) took place in 1989. There were also Czech paediatric patients invited together with Czech accompanying staff.

The Ministries of Health of Czechoslovakia and Cuba arranged a 5-week course for doctors of Cuba in Habana (Fig. 26) during January and February 1989. Lectures and surgical procedures were performed by burn surgeons from Prague in several provinces of Cuba.

The 6^th IPRS Congress was organized by plastic surgeons and attended by Czechoslovak specialists in Istanbul, September 3-6, 1989 (Fig. 27).

Psychiatric, Psychological and Social Care was the topic of the international meeting in Groningen (Fig. 28) (presided again by N. Bernstein) on September 24-27, 1989. There were pointed out the psychic problems in burns and the importance of the continual treatment.

The last Congress in Czechoslovakia with closed frontiers was the Third E.B.A. Congress organised in Prague (Fig. 29) on October 4-7, 1989. Many participants were welcomed from Europe and other continents.

The next event was the “Velvet Revolution” in Czechoslovakia on November 17, 1989, the frontiers opened and many other discoveries appeared in economical, social and ethical spheres, which are up to the younger generations to disclose and to solve.

Presented as invited lecture at the ECPB Workshop 2007, European Club for Paediatric Burns, on September 23–26, 2007, in Seggau Castle bei Leibnitz, Austria

Address for correspondence:

Prof. Radana Königová, M.D., D.Sc.

Burn Centre, 3^rd Medical Faculty, Charles University

Šrobárova 50

100 34 Prague 10

Czech Republic

E-mail: burnsec@fnkv.cz