paper 1 western front

What was the Ypres Salient?

Western Front region where Germans higher ground advantage, significant during First Battle of Ypres 1914.

What caused trench fever and what were its symptoms?

Trench fever was caused by body lice and included flu-like symptoms such as high temperature, affecting 0.5 million soldiers.

How was trench fever treated?

Treatment involved passing electric current through the infected area, and prevention included disinfecting clothes and establishing delousing stations.

What is the Thomas Splint and its significance?

A metal frame used to immobilize broken legs, reducing death rates from 80% to 20% for thigh bone fractures.

What condition was caused by standing in waterlogged trenches?

Trench foot, which affected 20,000 soldiers during the winter of 1914-1915.

What was the impact of the Battle of the Somme on medical services?

The battle resulted in 400,000 Allied casualties, putting immense pressure on medical services on the Western Front.

What was the purpose of the underground hospital at Arras?

It was built to treat wounded soldiers quickly, featuring 700 beds and several operating theatres, utilizing existing tunnels.

What was the significance of the blood bank created at Cambrai?

It was the first large-scale use of stored blood for transfusions, improving emergency treatment for wounded soldiers.

What were the effects of gas attacks during WWI?

Chlorine gas caused death by suffocation, while phosgene gas acted faster and mustard gas caused severe skin burns.

What was the role of mobile X-ray units during the war?

They were used to locate bullets and shrapnel inside soldiers' bodies, allowing for quicker medical intervention.

Who pioneered new techniques in plastic surgery during WWI?

Surgeon Harold Gillies developed techniques to reconstruct faces and hands damaged by wounds.

What antiseptic methods were used to treat wounds during WWI?

Methods included carbolic acid and hydrogen peroxide, with the Carrel-Dakin solution being a more effective treatment for infections.

What is the purpose of triage in medical treatment?

Triage is the process of sorting wounded soldiers by the severity of their injuries to prioritize urgent treatment.

What was the role of the Regimental Aid Post (RAP)?

The RAP was the first medical station close to the front line where immediate first aid was provided.

What was the function of the Casualty Clearing Station (CCS)?

The CCS was a larger medical facility further from the front line where serious cases were treated before evacuation.

What was the role of Queen Alexandra nurses during WWI?

They provided vital care to wounded soldiers near the front lines, increasing from 300 in 1914 to 10,000 by the end of the war.

What was the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY)?

A volunteer nursing group that assisted with first aid and ambulance driving, significantly contributing to battlefield medical care.

What was the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC)?

The RAMC was responsible for keeping soldiers healthy and treating the wounded, expanding from 9,000 men in 1914 to 113,000 by 1918.

What was the significance of the evacuation route during WWI?

The evacuation route improved throughout the war, allowing for better survival rates for wounded soldiers by 1918.

What were the features of the trench system?

The trench system included front line, support trench, reserve trench, and No Man's Land, designed to reduce casualties and provide strategic advantages.

What were the symptoms of shell-shock?

Symptoms included tiredness, nightmares, headaches, and uncontrollable shaking, affecting 80,000 soldiers.

What was the treatment for shell-shock?

Treatment was not well understood, but rest was recommended as a form of recovery.

What were the challenges of treating wounds during WWI?

Wounds were severe due to mechanized weapons, leading to high rates of blood loss and infections like gas gangrene.