Wounds and Infections on the Western Front

Types of Weapons -

• bolt action rifles

• heavy siege guns, germany’s big bertha, artillery

• machine guns - stationary battles

• poison gas (french)

• chlorine gas (germans)

• mustard gas

• tanks

Types of wounds / injuries -

• bullet holes, infection from materials - clothing / shrapnel

• artillery - did internal damage

• blood loss

• lung infection

• limbs damaged → amputation

• burns

• breathing problems

• high casualty weapons - need enough rescuers/doctors/medicine

• PTSD

• head injury

• blast impact

Infections -

• large open wounds, lack of hygiene and medical supplies

• bullets and shell fragments deep in skin

• bullets might have had dirt and soil in them

• manure from soil in wounds

Impact of Gas -

• gas gangrene - wounds went white → green. made a bubbling sound when pressed. gas infection

• tear gas to disable armies but it had no effect

• chlorine gas was the first major gas

• effects - suffocation, blindness, loss of taste, coughing, temporary sight issues.

• 5% of death caused by gas.