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I'm waiting for the final reports on a lot of aspects of the Boston bombing, but I have to admit that the one that's of greatest interest will be the examination of the medical response. I am amazed - on further reflection, unfairly amazed - that only three people died. Put it another way: three people died on the street pretty much instantly and every other casualty survived, including about 20 traumatic amputation cases. I suspect this is attributable to three factors: the massive and immediate medical response (both volunteer and professional), first-rate trauma care by the receiving hospitals, and the growing awareness and acceptance of tourniquets as immediate treatment for major injuries to the extremities.