[The treatment of wounds during World War I].
Infez Med
; 25(2): 184-192, 2017 06 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28603241
ABSTRACT
The First World War was a huge tragedy for mankind, but, paradoxically, it represented a source of significant progress in a broad series of human activities, including medicine, since it forced physicians to improve their knowledge in the treatment of a large number of wounded soldiers. The use of heavy artillery and machine guns, as well as chemical warfare, caused very serious and life-threatening lesions and wounds. The most frequent causes of death were not mainly related to gunshot wounds, but rather to fractures, tetanus and septic complications of infectious diseases. In the first part of this article, we describe the surgical procedures and medical therapies carried out by Italian physicians during the First World War, with the aim of treating wounded soldiers in this pre-antibiotic era. Antibacterial solutions, such as those of Dakin-Carrel and sodium hypochlorite and boric acid, the tincture of iodine as well as the surgical and dressing approaches and techniques used to remove pus from wounds, such as ignipuncture and thermocautery or lamellar drainage are reported in detail. In the second part of the paper, the organization of the Italian military hospitals network, the systems and tools useful to transport wounded soldiers both in the front lines and in the rear is amply discussed. In addition, the number of soldiers enrolling, and those dying, wounded or missing during the Great War on the Italian front is estimated.
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Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Primera Guerra Mundial
/
Heridas Relacionadas con la Guerra
/
Medicina Militar
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Infez Med
Asunto de la revista:
ALERGIA E IMUNOLOGIA
Año:
2017
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia