Medicine in Britain 1250 - Present day (trenches) Flashcards
Two features of the western front
One feature was…
- Most fighting took place around the town of Ypres.
- Three main battles: 1914, 1915 and 1917.
*Chlorine gas used in 1915, Mustard in 1917.
A second feature was…
- Famous and bloody battle at the Somme in 1916
- 60,000 British casualties on the first day of the battle.
Two features of the Frontline trenches
One feature was…
- Men would leave their trench over a firestep and run or march into no-man’s land; trying to reach the enemy.
A second feature was…
- You would rest in a support trench but also be prepared for a counter-attack.
Two features of support trenches
One feature was…
Men would rotate between time in a frontline trench and time in a support trench.
A second feature was…
The support trenches were connected to the other trenches.
Two features of how mines were used
One feature was…
- Mines were placed by sappers.
A second feature was…
- Mines were used for building tunnels.
Two features of the developments around Arras
One feature was…
- The network of caves and quarries were built
A second feature was
- The network of caves allowed for the building on an Underground Hospital.
Two features of How the environment created problems for medical staff
One feature was…
- The Doctors (RAMC) had to deal with lots of severely injured very quickly.
- The Nurses (FANY) were ignored by the British at first - because they were women - meaning they ended up treating Belgian soldiers.
Two features of Communication and transport issues
One feature was…
- The British public raised money to send motor ambulances in 1915.
- There were four stretcher-bearers per unit of men.
Two features of Illness in the trenches
One feature was…
- A common illness was trench fever.
A second feature was…
- A common illness was trench foot which was caused by water getting into boots
Two features Injury in the trenches
One feature was…
- A common injury was head wounds.
A second feature was…
- A common injury was shrapnel wounds.
Two features How people tried to prevent illness
One feature was…
- Soldiers would rub whale oil as they thought this would protect against muddy conditions.
A second feature was…
- In 1918 delousing stations were set up.
Two features Gas attacks
One feature was…
- Chlorine and phosgene gas made it difficult to breathe.
A second feature was…
- Mustard gas made you blind and caused blisters on the skin.
Two features stretcher bearers
One feature was…
- Muddy conditions meant stretcher bearers were slow.
A second feature was…
- Stretcher bearers had to cross no man’s land meaning they could easily get shot.
Two features Ambulances
One feature was…
- The government sent horse ambulances at first.
A second feature was
- Canal barges and trains were modified to become ambulances.
Two features The chain of evacuation
One feature was…
- The Regimental Aid Post was close to the fighting.
A second feature was…
- The worst injured were sent to Base Hospitals on the coast.
Two features Problems with the chain of evacuation
One feature was…
- Injuries were so severe.
A second feature was…
- Stretcher bearers were slow in their work.
Two features New medical techniques that were developed
One feature was…
- In December 1915, the Thomas Splint was used as a secure way of setting wounds and reduced deaths from broken limbs to 20%.
A second feature was…
- Portable X-Rays.
Two features How blood transfusions were improved
One feature was…
- Adding Sodium Citrate to blood in 1915
A second feature was…
- Adding Citrate Glucose to blood in 1916
Two features of how plastic surgery improved
One feature was…
- Harold Gillies developed a way of regrowing damaged tissue.
A second feature was…
- Gillies tecnhique allowed facial tissue to regrow.
Two features of How storing blood got better
One feature was
- In preparation for the Battle of Cambrai in 1917, Oswald Hope Robertson stored 22 units of blood in the world’s first blood bank.
A second feature was…
- He used it to treat Canadian soldiers who were suffering from shock.
How did Thomas Sydenham, in 1676, challenge the very basis of the Four Humours
He argued disease was something that attacked the body, not something that happened because of imbalances with in.
