World War One, in its own time, was the most destructive war Earth itself had ever seen, and this was due to the new technology. “There are two groups of people in warfare – those organized to inflict and those organized to repair wounds – and there is little doubt but that in all wars, and in this one in particular, the former have been better prepared for their jobs.” There were many advancements, disadvantages, and foundations involving medicine in World War I. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 started the war, and things spiraled out of control from there. With there being so many existing alliances with countries all over, almost all of Europe became involved. Eventually two sides emerged which were the Central Powers and the Allies. America had tried to stay out of the war, but when Russia backed out in 1917 America slipped in.
As America became involved we realized our medical strategy was practically non-existent, so we copied France and Britain’s plans. Our new medical strategy still contained problems that were in need of fixing. Some of these problems included sanitation and blood loss. Sanitation levels were dangerously low, baths were rare (as was laundering) , and the drinking water was contaminated with who-knows-what. But, we did know that this was causing rapidly-spreading diseases throughout camps. When a soldier would suffer a wound or was operated on there was often a decent portion of blood lost. But fear not, for solutions to these problems were soon discovered!
Sanitation was strengthened by finding local wells and getting clean pure freshwater, incinerating trash or dangerous materials, and by recruiting veterinarians to keep safe-to-eat food handy. Also, blood baths were created in o...
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Medicine has developed so dramatically over the last century that it is difficult to imagine a world in which its many benefits did not exist. Even as humans manage to eradicate some diseases, a look at history reminds us that there was a time when these and other diseases were rampant, and good health was the exception rather than the norm. There are many comparable time periods that medicine was needed and was used. With each, there were drastic changes to medical procedures and medical rules. Of the many different time periods that medicine was used; the comparison of medical care during the American Civil War and medical care during World War I is the most interesting. How did Civil War battlefield medicine compare with World War I battlefield medicine? That's a question that cannot be simply answered, but can be broken down into the overall sanitation of individuals, medical techniques, and overall medical staff for armies.
Soldiers faced diseases like measles, small pox, malaria, pneumonia, camp itch, mumps, typhoid and dysentery. However, diarrhea killed more soldiers than any other illness. There were many reasons that diseases were so common for the causes of death for soldiers. Reasons include the fact that there were poor physicals before entering the army, ignorance of medical information, lack of camp hygiene, insects that carried disease, lack of clothing and shoes, troops were crowded and in close quarters and inadequate food and water.
“Nazi Medical Experiments.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 17 Jan. 2014.
Hygiene was extremely poor prior to and during World War 1, especially for soldiers. Because of this and the fact that fighting soldiers couldn’t clean up wounds quickly enough, there were many deaths caused by infection alone. One big issue was trench foot. This was an awful infection caused by soldiers standing in the trenches for too long during battles. Over the course of the war, hygiene and infectious issues were being better dealt with. These issues led to vaccinations and treatment advancements. The earliest forms of the vaccinations and treatments used today were actually introduced in 1914. Those vaccinations and treatments have been improved upon since World War 1. One of the most fascinating things regarding medical procedures at this time has to be blood transfusions. It was 1917, when the first of hundreds of millions of blood transfusions was made. This idea has been improved upon as
The World Wars, World War I and II have influenced many medical advances and changes in a good way. Without These new medical and physiological advancements and studies help us, understand what is going on in our and other people’s minds and helps people with mental issues and treat and vaccinate different diseases. Thanks to the medical advancements from World War I and II , it has helped our longevity, health and mental health.
Have you ever wondered what life would be like in the Civil War? What soldiers went through? How they dealt with wounds and the medicine? Many of which lead to death because medicine was not advanced as it is now. Medicine has come a long way, since the days of the Civil War. In the book, The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, explains the life and how it went for people in the war. There are 3 people: Robert E. Lee, John Buford, and Buster Kilrain. These 3 characters faced medical problems and with very little medicine specialties it was very difficult for their health.
Galenic practices that originated in the second century were still the predominant medical concepts almost fourteen hundred years later, and with little advancement beyond the humoral theory that promoted exsanguinations as cure, they further weakening those afflicted with fever and assured they did not survive. The chapter entitled Deadly Fevers, Deadly Doctors is, by McNeill’s own admission, rife with modern criticism and judgment that, “are not up to the standards of the historical profession” (63). That being said, the humor he injects in this chapter keeps the reader from setting aside what could easily devolve into a depressing clinical narrative of the brutish death that accompanied yellow fever. The tone may not be up to academic standards, but the research is, at least for the European contribution. Whether one agrees with his arguments or not, McNeil has proven the relevance of disease study in attempts to reconstruct historical contexts. The main take away from this chapter is that the confusion surrounding the transmission of diseases is part of the reason armies were sent over and over again in spite of the infectious disaster that repeatedly cut through the ranks, at great expense both in men and in
12. Scott, Clark. "Medical aspects of the lewis and clark expedition." Lweis and Clark Trail 27 January 2014.
There were many medical advancements during World War I that has changed many lives in a positive way. Blood transfusion allowed to save those who were fatally wounded back then and now. Prosthetics and plastic surgery helps those who are considered different regain their confidence. WWI helped other less known medical treatment be developed as well. WWI made way for many medical advancements such as blood transfusion, prosthetics and plastic surgery, and other minor procedures.
Here at the Chelsea Naval Hospital, the influx of patients arriving home from the war inflicted with "battle wounds and mustard gas burns," has created a shortage of physicians and it is becoming increasingly difficult to fight this influenza. Even our own physicians are falling ill from the disease and dying within hours of its onset. Today I received a letter from Dr. Roy, a friend and fellow physician at Camp Devens, who describes a similar situation:
During the series of World War I, there had been problems but people had immediately found a solution. One out of the many solutions had included the struggle to find an antiseptic that worked, and solutions for transportation of injured soldiers. There had been multiple options for the transportation of the injured soldiers and controversy had struck the injured and medical staff. There had been many cases of death happening to soldiers whether it was by diseases or but initiating combat. During major surgeries, like getting bullets out of a limb or abdomen, there had been a series of blood transfusions and a process for those blood transfusions.
World War I was the first long lasting war of the 20th century. It changed the outlook of everyday citizens, and normalized cynicism, or the belief that people were motivated by self-interest. However, World War I began with an act of terrorism. On June 28, 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand had taken place in Sarajevo by a Bosnian Black Hand member. More than ever before, the war involved more countries and colonies than any of the wars before it. It wasn't the most destructive war, or the first total war, and it certainly wasn't an event that ended all wars, but it was a war that led to many creations and innovations. Many countries and central powers rivaled against each other in the battle for colonies and resources which
War is the basis for lots of things such as hard feelings, pain, or loss. What most people seem to neglect war with is growth. There is no greater motivation for change than when your life or the lives of the people around you depend on it. I like to imagine that this how doctors felt during World War 2. The pressures of war spurred numerous medical advancements during the time of World War 2. Some of these medical procedures and/or used for certain drugs were not benefactory to our men in uniform, they were definitely more harmful than good. On the other hand, some of these different types of medicine changed the medical field as we know it. Medicine grew leaps and bounds during World War 2 and has influenced our own medicine today. While we are still working to perfect and fine tune all types of medicine, we still use
Some of the advancements made had a direct effect on those at home particularly children and mothers. The inspection of refugees and conscripts exposed poor health habits that led to advancements to improve health nutrition and control conditions such as scabies. Nurses roles also became more critical during war time. In July 4th, 1943 nurses were required to also have special military training. This included not only additional training in flied sanitation psychiatry and anesthetic, but also physical conditioning to build endurance. They also reviewed training in how to set up field medical
The main disease that killed these men was Malaria. Malaria is a tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. Symptoms include high fever, anemia, shivering, joint pain, and headaches. If not treated properly it can lead to organ failure or death. To treat this disease, soldiers were given a pill which sometimes had the side effect of diarrhea. That was pretty much the only way Malaria was both prevented and treated. These days, if someone caught the disease their treatment would also be in pill form.