WW1 medicine. Flashcards
which new weapon was use at Ypres in 1915?
poison gas
how many died on the first day at the Somme?
60,000.
which new weapon was used at Cambrai in 1917?
tanks
why trenches?
too dangerous to be above ground
positives of trenches?
easy to make and defend- not many needed to defend it, cheap.
negatives of trenches?
wet, cramped, dirty, easy spread of disease, hard to care for people- transverse (stop damage from grenades)- stretcher bearers.
how much time was spent @ front line?
15%
how much time was spent away from trenches?
45%
when was the start of WW1?
1914.
end of WW1?
1918.
4 weapons used in the WW1 trenches?
riffles, machine guns, artillery, shrapnel.
why did riffles cause damage?
bayonet wounds, infection, amputations needed.
why did machines guns cause damage?
break major bones, 20% chance of survival, pierce organs.
what damage did the artillery cause?
removed limbs, internal bleeding and damage.
what damage did shrapnel do?
major damage to faces, legs and arms- disfigurements, damaged majorly. blood loss, injections, gas gangrene.
3 types of illnesses in the trenches and what were they?
Trench fever (flu- like symptoms, caused by lice, kept reoccurring.) Trench foot (blistered and swollen feet, from waterlogged conditions, could turn gangrene and treated with amputation, given spare socks, floor boards placed and whale oil) NYD.N. - shell shock- not yet diagnosed. nervous- (mental breakdowns, accused of cowardice)
order of how the wounded were dealt with?
chain of evacuation
RAP (regimental aid post) CCS (casualty clearing station) Hospital train Base Hospital Hospital Ship.
what did RAMC stand for?
royal army medical core
what did FANY stand for?
first aid nursing yeomany
what were 2 things used to improve surgery?
mobile X-ray machines (easier to locate objects, less infection, most CCS’s had them after 1915)
blood transfusions and storage (learnt how to stop it clotting, refrigerated conditions needed, citrate solutions)
when was the first blood bank used?
Battle Of Cambrai in 1917. Blood group 0 used as everyone could use it.
2 types of surgery developed in WW1?
Plastic surgery
Brain surgery
why did WW1 lead to the development of Plastic Surgery?
damage from shrapnel, major disfigurements, mens lives ruined-affected mental health, parts like noses blown off, skin grafts needed, lots of infections happened, 11,000 carried out)
why did WW1 lead to the development of Brain Surgery?
in the trenches the heads were the most vulnerable part of their bodies, doctors afraid to perform B-S and in 1914 brains/ heads weren’t operated on but numbers encouraged docs to try. Blood transfusions meant men were fit enough to be operated on. X-rays meant objects could be located. stopped infection and internal bleeding.
what was the Thomas Splint?
stopped bones from grinding, greatly reduced blood loss, meant men could be operated on, death rate from 80% to 20%.
