Mock paper 1 Flashcards
who were experiments in blood transfusions performed by?
James Blundell in 1819
how were transfusion’s carried out?
with the donor being directly connected by a tube to the recipient
what were the problems with the early uses of blood transfusions?
blood clots as soon as it leaves the body and so the tube became blocked up
the blood of the donor was sometimes rejected by the recipient because they were not compatible
there was a danger of infection from unsterilized equipment
when were blood groups discovered?
Karl Landsteiner in 1901
how was the problem of infection solved?
by aseptic surgery which was invented by Joseph Lister in the 1860’s through the use of carbolic acid after hearing about the germ theory in 1865
the use of antiseptics immediately reduced death rates from as high as 50% in 1864-66 to around 15% in 1867-70
how were blood transfusions used in WW1
used at base hospitals from 1915
a syringe and tube used
extended to casualty clearing stations from 1917
a portable blood transfusions kit was close to the front line invented by a doctor called Geoffrey Keynes
how did the discovery of sodium citrate benefit blood transfusions?
it prevented blood clotting so that blood could be stored outside of the body in 1915
regarding blood transfusions what was discovered in 1916
it was discovered that adding a citrate glucose to blood allowed it to be stored for up to four weeks
what was used in the battle of Cambrai in 1917
blood was stored in glass bottles at a blood bank and used to treat badly wounded soldiers throughout the battle
what was stage one of the chain of evacuation
stretcher bearers
advance on no mans land at night or during a break in fighting to collect the dead and wounded. Each battalion had 16 stretcher bearers and it took 4 men to carry a stretcher
what was stage 2 of the chain of evacuation
Regimental Aid Post - RAP
always close to the front line and the battalion regimental medical officer was in the RAP. He identified those who were lightly wounded and those soldiers who needed more medical attention
what was stage 3 of the chain of evacuation
field ambulance and dressing station
a field ambulance was a large mobile medical unit with medical officers, support and staff and from 1915 some nurses.
The dressing stations was where medical emergency treatment was given to the wounded and they were about a mile behind the front line and here a system of triage was set up where the men where separated depending on injury
what was stage four of the chain of evacuation
the casualty clearing station - CCS
the first large and well equipped medical unit that the wounded would experience. The CCS contained x ray machines and wards with beds and they were located in tents or huts about 10 miles from the conflict
what was stage 5 of the chain of evacuation
the base hospital was usually a civilian hospital or converted building and soldiers would arrive by train, ambulance, canal because the journey was more comfortable and they had operating theatres x-ray departments and areas for gas poisoning. From the base hospital most patients were sent back to Britain in hospital train which has being converted.
what was there in regards to help of the wounded in war by November 1915
there was 250 motor ambulances in France and ambulance trains were also introduced to carry up to 800 casualties. Ambulance barges were also used to carry the wounded along the river Somme.
discuss the underground hospital at Arras?
During the battle of Arras during April-May 1917 160,000 soldiers were killed and over 7000 were injured in the first three days despite this the evacuation route worked and in 1916 the existing tunnels and quarries were extended. They created an underground town for soldiers to live in with running water and electricity and a hospital with 700 beds and operating theatres
discuss the RAMC
Royal Army Medical Corps
all medical officers belonged to the RAMC the membership increased from 9000 in 1914 to 113,000 in 1918 as the number of wounded grew. |Doctors had to learn quickly about conditions and wounds they has never faced before.
discuss the FANY
First Aid Nursing Yeomanry founded in 1907 by a soldier who hoped they would be the nursing cavalry to help the wounded in battle
Initially the nurses on the front line were the well-trained Queen Alexandra’s nurses and the government turned away volunteer nurses. However this attitude changed as the number of wounded increased
volunteers worked as professional theatre nurses to floor scrubbers
they helped as ambulance drivers and nurses once the British army changed their policy towards volunteers in 1916
they also carried supplies to the front line and drove motorised kitchens to supply food