Tuesday 30 October 2012

Did You Know….? Top Facts For Families about War and Medicine





1. Trench foot is a nasty condition that makes feet swollen and painful - and is
caused by spending too long in damp, cold and unhygienic conditions (like not
changing wet socks!). The name came about during the First World War as soldiers
spent many hours in wet, soggy boots in the trenches.

2. There were over 70,000 cases of trench foot during the First World War! To
combat this dreaded disease, soldiers used a variety of methods from wearing dry
socks, holding regular foot inspections and massaging feet with whale oil (which had
an even more horrible smell than sweaty feet!)

3. In 1916, Dr. Gerhard Stalling set up a school to train dogs to help German soldiers
who had been blinded in the First World War. These were the first ever guide dogs.

4. John Simpson Kirkpatrick was a stretcher-bearer with the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps during the Gallipoli Campaign in the First World War. He and
his donkey became famous for carrying injured British Empire soldiers from the
frontline to safety.

5. During the First World War, a soldier almost literally came back from the dead.
Lieutenant Hugh Bird MC was seriously wounded during intense fighting in France
in March 1918. In the confusion, his fellow officers thought he had been killed. His
family were told and a memorial service was held. But in May 1918, it became clear
that Bird was still alive. He had been taken prisoner, given basic medical treatment
and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany. Bird was sent home to Britain in
September 1918..

6. The system of triage – which splits patients into three groups, depending on how
serious their condition is – is used in all hospitals today. It originally came about
during the Napoleonic Wars and became standard practice during the First World
War.

7. Before 1914, more people died from diseases in war time than battle injuries. The
First World War was the first major conflict to reverse this trend - partly due to the
first major use of vaccinations.

8. Disease, including the lethal Spanish Flu, caused about one third of military deaths
during the First World War. The Spanish Flu caused havoc for the civillan population
too, killing an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

9. One nasty side effect of living in the trenches was lice! It is estimated that
97% of the soldiers living in the trenches were infested. They used to refer to the

lice as ‘chats’ and when they got together to pick the lice off each other, it was
called ‘chatting up’ – a phrase we use frequently today!

10. Coconuts were used in the South Pacific in the Second World War during
emergency blood transfusions – it was discovered coconut water is sterile (until
opened) and it mixes easily with blood.

These interesting facts were compiled by IWMN to mark the launch of their Saving Lives Exhibition so why not check out their Half Term activities?

3 comments:

  1. 5 YEAR OLD SON WOULD LOVE THIS - HAS BEEN PLAYING DOCTOR SINCE GRANDAD IN INTENSIIVE CARE EARLIER IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING HEART ATTACK

    ReplyDelete
  2. need this for a niece whose whole family is doctors...

    ReplyDelete
  3. 6. The system of triage – which splits patients into three groups, depending on how serious their condition is – is used in all hospitals today. It originally came aboutd uring the Napoleonic Wars and became standard practice during the First World War.

    ReplyDelete

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