The response to the trench diseases in World War I: a triumph of public health science.
Public Health
; 121(8): 634-9, 2007 Aug.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17540420
ABSTRACT
The recent 90-year anniversary of the Battle of the Somme presents an opportunity to examine the public health response to the trench diseases, new conditions which arose in the trenches of World War I. Throughout history, there have been two views of epidemic disease the configurationist and contagionist perspectives. Most doctors responding to the trench diseases, 'contingent-contagionists', combined these two conceptions of disease. Because of the difficulty of finding a causative organism and the absence of effective treatment, the majority view became that these conditions were a product of the trench environment. Configurationism, with its emphasis on environmental and social determinants, seemed to provide the most obvious approaches for tackling the trench diseases. The diseases were effectively controlled using the tools of public health science sanitary discipline and a battery of measures, such as improving trench construction, improving the diet, providing protective kit, regular bathing and treating lice infestation. The response demonstrates the triumph of public health science over new medical technologies. It also illustrates the importance of considering all the many determinants of health and of close surveillance, discipline and partnership working to counter ill-health. Although technology, training, doctrine and health beliefs change over time, the interaction between disease and environment remains the core challenge to public health practitioners.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Fiebre de las Trincheras
/
Salud Pública
/
Primera Guerra Mundial
/
Pie de Inmersión
/
Nefritis
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Public Health
Año:
2007
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Reino Unido
Pais de publicación:
HOLANDA
/
HOLLAND
/
NETHERLANDS
/
NL
/
PAISES BAJOS
/
THE NETHERLANDS