WESTERN FRONT

What were common illnesses and injuries on the Western Front?

1. Trench foot

2. trench fever

3. shellshock

4. gas attacks

5. shrapnel wounds

6. bullet wounds.

What caused trench foot?

Prolonged exposure to cold, wet, unsanitary conditions in trenches.

What caused trench fever?

Body lice; caused flu-like symptoms.

What were the effects of gas attacks?

1. Blindness

2. coughing

3. burns

4. choking

What were the gases in gas attacks

1. chlorine

2. phosgene

3. mustard gas

How was trench foot prevented?

1. Regular foot inspections

2. whale oil application

3. changing socks

4. use of duckboards.

What protective equipment was used against gas attacks?

1. Gas masks (1915–16)

2. cotton pads soaked in urine

How did soldiers try to prevent infection in wounds?

1. antiseptics (Carrel-Dakin method)

2. debridement (cutting away infected tissue)

What was the Carrel-Dakin method?

A sterilised salt solution that was flushed through wounds to prevent infection

What was the Thomas Splint? (1915)

a splint that kept leg fractures still — reduced death from fractures from 80% to 20%

How was blood loss treated?

1. Blood transfusions using blood stored using sodium citrate (1915)

2. blood banks set up at Battle of Cambrai (1917).

How was surgery on the Western Front improved?

1. Mobile X-ray units detected shrapnel

2. brain surgery techniques advanced

3. plastic surgery pioneered by Harold Gillies.

What were RAPs (Regimental Aid Posts)?

Closest to front line; treated minor wounds to return soldiers quickly

What were Advanced Dressing Stations (ADS)?

Located in abandoned buildings or dugouts; treated more serious injuries.

What were Casualty Clearing Stations (CCS)?

military medical facility that prioritised life-saving operations — dealt with triage.

What was the Base Hospital's role?

Located near coast; major surgeries and recovery before evacuation to Britain.

What was the Chain of Evacuation?

RAP → ADS → CCS → Base Hospital → Britain (if needed).

Who developed techniques for plastic surgery?

Harold Gillies pioneered skin grafts in response to facial injuries

What was the significance of X-rays during WWI?

Used in mobile units to locate shrapnel and bullets quickly which reduced infection

What medical innovation came from blood storage?

Sodium citrate and refrigerated storage allowed for the first blood banks (Cambrai, 1917)

illness/hurt during western front?

1. Trench foot

2. trench fever

3. gas

4. shrapnel

5. bullets

6. shell shock

preventions of illness in western front?

1. Duckboards

2. gas masks

3. foot hygiene

4. lice control

Treatment?

1. Carrel-Dakin

2. Thomas Splint

3. blood transfusions

4. Gillies’ plastic surgery

care of the westren front?

1. regimental aid post

2. advanced dressing stations

3. casualty clearing stations

4. base hospitals

Key people?

1. Harold Gillies (surgery)

2. Lawrence Robertson (transfusions)

3. soldiers

4. stretcher-bearers

How did the Thomas Splint reduce deaths?

they Stabilised leg fractures which made the death rate fell from 80% to 20%.