The Western Front

Question 1

Aseptic surgery

Answer 1

By 1900 most operations were carried out using aseptic methods

• all medical staff had to wash hands, faces and arms before entering the medical theatre
• rubber gloves had to be worn and gowns
• the use of steam sterilisation - an autoclave was invented by Charles chamberland in 1881 - it sterilised surgical instruments in boiling steam
• the air was sterilised by being pumped over the heating system to kill germs

Question 2

Risks of early x rays

Answer 2

• the amount of radiation released by early x rad was about 1500 times the amount that is released today - exposure was harmful and patients could lose hair or burn
• wilhelm roentgen had used a table top machine, but the glass tube was very fragile and so could break easily
• taking an x ray of a hand using the table top machine took about 90 minutes
• larger x rays were being developed but were very difficult to move around

Question 3

Blood transfusion problems

Answer 3

-blood clots as soon as it leaves the body - this meant that tubes which transfused blood from one person to another could become blocked up
In 1894 professor almroth wright concluded that a soluble solution of certain acids could prevent clotting

-the rejection of transfused blood
In 1901 an Austrian doctor discovered the different blood groups - in 1907 an American doctor matched a recipients blood type and a donors and also discovered that group 0 was a universal blood group

-danger of infection
Introduction of aseptic methods

Question 4

Elements of a trench system

Answer 4

Trenches were dug in zigzag patterns
Duckboards
Sandbags

Question 5

1914: the first battle of Ypres

Answer 5

Bridging lost over 50000 troops
12th October - 11th November
British kept control of yoresbwkd the English Channel ports

Question 6

The use of mines at Hill 60

Answer 6

Germans captured it in December 1914
Height gave them a strategic advantage
British used offensive mining to take it back in 1915
Five mines were built under the hill and then exploded

Question 7

1915: the second battle of Ypres

Answer 7

First time Germans used chlorine gas on the western front

59000 British soldiers died

Question 8

1916: battle of the Somme

Answer 8

First day : 57000 casualties and 20000 deaths

First use of the creeping barrage and tanks in war fare

Lasted from July - November and British had estimated 400000 casualties

Question 9

Tunnels at Arras

Answer 9

Underground network for British
Act as shelters against German attacks
2.5 Miles dug in 5 months
25000 men could be stationed in the tunnels
Had electric light, water, and a hospital

Question 10

Problem of transportation and communications

Answer 10

Shelling left a rough terrain, before the war the region was farmland and the use of fertiliser was extensive, this meant a lot of bacteria in the soil which led to infected wounds

Question 11

Protection provided

Answer 11

Brodie helmets - 1915 - reduces fatal head wounds by 80%

Gas masks were given to all troops in July 1915

Question 12

Gases used

Answer 12

Chlorine - 1915 at second battle of Ypres
Phosgene - end of 1915 near Ypres
Mustard - 1917