WW1 Injuries Flashcards
What were some key features of Shellshock (PTSD)?
- It was caused by a psychological reaction to war
experiences - In 1916, there were 16,000 cases in 6 months
-There were a total of 80,000 recorded cases - Rest, food and “talks” were used as treatments
How many recorded cases of Shellshock were there during the war?
80,000
What were some key features of Trench Fever?
- It was spread by lice that lived in seams of clothing
- It caused severe headaches, shivering and pain in
bones/joints - From July 1917-18, 15% of men were unfit due to trench
fever - To combat this, soldiers were given louse repellent,
had bath houses set up, and had their clothes sprayed
with disinfectant
(Rats in trenches also spread typhoid)
What percentage of men were deemed unfit to fight as a result of trench fever from July 1917 to 1918?
15%
What were some key features of Trenchfoot?
- Developed as a result of waterlogged trenches which
caused the deterioration of capillaries and therefore
insufficient blood flow to the feet - flesh would
eventually die - Feet became numb, swollen and blistered
- Amputation was often the only treatment
- Duckboards were used as a prevention method, and
soldiers were given whale oil to rub on their feet.
What were some key features of Firearm wounds?
- Shrapnel and bullets could destroy tissue + pull
clothes into wounds causing infection - Artillery and machine guns often lead to amputations
- 41,000 men had to have their limbs amputated during
the war - The first helmet (Brodie Helmet) was invented in 1915
Describe the features of different poison gases
Chlorine (22nd April 1915) - An asphyxiating gas, which deprived a soldier of oxygen, and they died from suffocation
Mustard (July 1917) - Caused blisters and could result in blindness, could take days for sufferer to die
(Both developed by Fritz Haber)
Phosgene (December 1915) - Caused suffocation, and was colourless and hard to detect. Symptoms took 24 hours to set in
Tear (Lachrymatory) gas (April 1915) , inflamed the lungs and throats of soldiers, it was used to disable soldiers rather than kill them
Describe the work of Dr Harvey Cushing
He was an American surgeon who treated head injuries during the war. He halved the number of deaths by brain surgery during the war, and used X-rays to find shrapnel in the brain and drew it out using magnets. However his efforts were limited by slow evacuation and lack of brain imagine techniques
Describe the work of Geoffrey Keynes
He created a portable machine for blood storage that could take blood nearer to the front lines
Describe the development of plastic surgery w relation to WW1
Plastic surgery was motivated by WW1 - A British doctor HAROLD GILLIES set up a unit to transplant skin for soldiers with facial wounds. Gillies developed a plastic surgery technique called the TUBE PEDICLE which made skin grafting and facial reconstruction more effective
In 1917, QUEEN’S HOSPITAL was set up in Kent to treat soldiers with facial wounds
How many people died from gas use in WW1?
And when were gas attacks outlawed?
90,000, most of which were Russian as the Russians weren’t given face masks
Gas attacks were outlawed by the Geneva Protocol in 1925
Describe the reasons why brain surgery improved during WW1
The number of serious head injuries was high early on in the war. One reason was due to soldiers standing in the trenches (which were usually 6/7ft), and this made their heads the most vulnerable part of the body. However little surgery was carried out on the brain, as time could be spent operating on men with simpler wounds. Initially, head wounds were simply bandaged to reduce blood loss, and there was little surgery - which pushed surgeons to try new ideas e.g. HARVEY CUSHING + BRODIE HELMET INVENTED IN 1915
How did army medics tackle infection?
Wounds were washed with the antiseptic CARBOLIC LOTION, closed up and then wrapped with bandages soaked in carbolic acid
Amputations were also carried out to prevent life threatening infections
An anti tetanus serum was given to injured soldiers on the front lines
A paraffin paste called BIPP was used to cover wounds to prevent infection
Describe features of gas gangrene
- An infection of tissue, symptoms included
fever. air under the skin. pain in the area around a wound. swelling in the area around a wound. pale skin that quickly turns gray, dark red, purple, or black. blisters with foul-smelling discharge.
Why was wound infection a large problem?
- Many trenches were dug in farmland, which was covered in bacteria from fertilisers
- In Flanders, drainage ditches had been destroyed by shelling, so trenches were often waterlogged and bacteria thrived
- Wounded men often had to lie in contaminated mud in trenches or no man’s land for days, increasing the risk of becoming infected
(A large risk for the army and medical corps, as it meant those with very minor injuries were still at risk of developing fatal infections)
