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From The EditorNo institution or organization has done more to study the medical effects of cold environments on human beings than the United States Army. The chapters compiled in this publication are the best collection of the US Army’s research on the critical issues of survival in cold weather.The chapters herein are reprinted from the US Army’s study Medical Aspects of Harsh Environments, Volume 1. The material relevant to the effects of cold on human health are included in these pages. Volume 1 was originally published in 2001 by the United States Army Medical Department and School in Fort Sam Houston, Texas and by the United States Surgeon General. Its information is as relevant today as it was two decades ago.Citizens are increasingly challenged by harsh weather events characterized by longer winters and record-setting snowfalls. It doesn’t take an extreme event, such as a child falling into a frigid lake, to induce life-threatening hypothermia. A seemingly mild 32-degree day can cause serious frost-bite to an inadequately dressed child, elderly person, or someone with a compromised immune system. The information in these chapters can be life-saving. It can help doctors, nurses, and emergency responders diagnose the level of severity in cold-caused injuries and learn thebest treatments to increase the likelihood of successful recovery. The two groups most vulnerable to cold-induced injuries are young children and the elderly. Caretakers of senior citizens can find invaluable information in this book to learn to prevent cold-inflicted injuries. School nurses, teachers and administrators learn what to do to recognize the symptoms of frost-bite and hypothermia.The most valuable recipients of this knowledge are parents. They can protect themselves and their children from cold weather tragedies.Cold-caused challenges to health and life can arise during any winter season, on trips anytime of year to locations on the planet, such as exotic trips to Antarctica or eve