WESTERN FRONT REVISION
Medicine before WW1
[x-rays, blood transfusions and aseptic surgery]
● X-RAYS
1895 - Wilhem Roentgen, German physicist, studying the effects of passing an electric current
through a class tube covered in black paper = noticed that everything in the room was dark but a screen
about a metre away from the equipment had begun to glow.
Called these rays that could pass through glass “x”
Further experiments = rays could penetrate objects
1896 - radiology departments opened in hospitals, contributing to advancing knowledge and applying
the new science in a medical setting
Glasgow Royal Infirmary: produced images using an x-ray
Birmingham General Hospital: Dr Hall-Edwards = made a diagnosis based on information
from an x-ray - located a needle stuck in a woman’s hand
CARRYING OUT DIAGNOSIS BEFORE OPERATIONS - HELP MEDICAL TREATMENTS ON
WESTERN FRONT
Problems:
- RADIATION: health risks, exposure to x-rays were harmful [1,500 times a day] as patients could
suffer from hair loss/burns
- GLASS TUBES: could break easily and machines were very difficult to move around as they were
so large
● BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
Average body contains 5 litres of blood, lose too much = go into shock and die
Blood loss was often the result of complex surgeries
1818-29 - James Blundell: first blood transfusion with pregnant woman [11 transfusions - 50%
success rate]
Blood could not be stored, had to be used as soon as available.
To begin, donor and patient had to be directly connected by a tube
Led to rejection/clotting problems
1900 - Karl Landsteiner: discovered blood groups = prevented blood being rejected
A,B and O were the main blood groups
Some blood groups were incompatible with each other, blood transfusion was possible if
patient and donor were a match
● ASEPTIC SURGERY
1865 - Joseph Lister: first used carbolic acid based on Pasteur’s Germ Theory
Aseptic Surgery ensured operating theatres were free of more germ-free environments:
- All medical staff wore rubber gloves, surgical gowns and masks that had been sterilised,
decreasing the rate of infection
- Air was sterilised by being pumped over heating systems to kill bacteria
1881: Charles Chamberland invented an autoclave, a machine for steam sterilisation
This led to better removal of bacteria around wounds and on surgical instruments, this reduced death
rate from infection. The principles of cleanliness were very difficult to follow, but some of the techniques
were still used on the front.
, Trench System
The trenches were dug in a zigzag pattern as a defensive strategy. This prevented enemy soldiers from
being able to see, or fire, directly along a trench. However, trenches were narrow and often got blocked,
this led to problems moving and treating the wounded during battle.
Keyword Definition
No-Man’s Land Disputed ground between the frontlines of two opposing armies
Frontline Trench Closest to the enemy, where attacks were made from [dug in zig zag] = MOST
DANGEROUS
Support Trench 80 metres behind Front Line trench and the troops would retreat here if the
frontline trench came under attack
Reserve Trench 100 metres behind Support trench and was where reserve troops could be
mobilised for a counter-attack if the frontline was captured
Communication Trench Ran between other trenches to transport messages
Dugout Dug in the side of trenches where men could take protective cover if needed
Artillery emplacements The furthest away, where weaponry was kept
Forward listening post Where men could spy on the enemy to try to work out their tactics/next move
Barbed wire A type of steel fencing wire, constructed with sharp edges arranged to slow
down enemy attack
Company HQ dugout Areas in which generals discuss their tactics
Firebay Where shootings were made, protected by sandbags
Duckboard A wooden board joined together to form a path over muddy grounds in a
trench - prevented trench foot
Firestep A step/ledge to allow soldiers to fire towards the other trench as they were
2.5 metres in depth
Parapet Low protective wall
Ammunition shelf Area in which ammo was kept near the firestep
Medicine before WW1
[x-rays, blood transfusions and aseptic surgery]
● X-RAYS
1895 - Wilhem Roentgen, German physicist, studying the effects of passing an electric current
through a class tube covered in black paper = noticed that everything in the room was dark but a screen
about a metre away from the equipment had begun to glow.
Called these rays that could pass through glass “x”
Further experiments = rays could penetrate objects
1896 - radiology departments opened in hospitals, contributing to advancing knowledge and applying
the new science in a medical setting
Glasgow Royal Infirmary: produced images using an x-ray
Birmingham General Hospital: Dr Hall-Edwards = made a diagnosis based on information
from an x-ray - located a needle stuck in a woman’s hand
CARRYING OUT DIAGNOSIS BEFORE OPERATIONS - HELP MEDICAL TREATMENTS ON
WESTERN FRONT
Problems:
- RADIATION: health risks, exposure to x-rays were harmful [1,500 times a day] as patients could
suffer from hair loss/burns
- GLASS TUBES: could break easily and machines were very difficult to move around as they were
so large
● BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
Average body contains 5 litres of blood, lose too much = go into shock and die
Blood loss was often the result of complex surgeries
1818-29 - James Blundell: first blood transfusion with pregnant woman [11 transfusions - 50%
success rate]
Blood could not be stored, had to be used as soon as available.
To begin, donor and patient had to be directly connected by a tube
Led to rejection/clotting problems
1900 - Karl Landsteiner: discovered blood groups = prevented blood being rejected
A,B and O were the main blood groups
Some blood groups were incompatible with each other, blood transfusion was possible if
patient and donor were a match
● ASEPTIC SURGERY
1865 - Joseph Lister: first used carbolic acid based on Pasteur’s Germ Theory
Aseptic Surgery ensured operating theatres were free of more germ-free environments:
- All medical staff wore rubber gloves, surgical gowns and masks that had been sterilised,
decreasing the rate of infection
- Air was sterilised by being pumped over heating systems to kill bacteria
1881: Charles Chamberland invented an autoclave, a machine for steam sterilisation
This led to better removal of bacteria around wounds and on surgical instruments, this reduced death
rate from infection. The principles of cleanliness were very difficult to follow, but some of the techniques
were still used on the front.
, Trench System
The trenches were dug in a zigzag pattern as a defensive strategy. This prevented enemy soldiers from
being able to see, or fire, directly along a trench. However, trenches were narrow and often got blocked,
this led to problems moving and treating the wounded during battle.
Keyword Definition
No-Man’s Land Disputed ground between the frontlines of two opposing armies
Frontline Trench Closest to the enemy, where attacks were made from [dug in zig zag] = MOST
DANGEROUS
Support Trench 80 metres behind Front Line trench and the troops would retreat here if the
frontline trench came under attack
Reserve Trench 100 metres behind Support trench and was where reserve troops could be
mobilised for a counter-attack if the frontline was captured
Communication Trench Ran between other trenches to transport messages
Dugout Dug in the side of trenches where men could take protective cover if needed
Artillery emplacements The furthest away, where weaponry was kept
Forward listening post Where men could spy on the enemy to try to work out their tactics/next move
Barbed wire A type of steel fencing wire, constructed with sharp edges arranged to slow
down enemy attack
Company HQ dugout Areas in which generals discuss their tactics
Firebay Where shootings were made, protected by sandbags
Duckboard A wooden board joined together to form a path over muddy grounds in a
trench - prevented trench foot
Firestep A step/ledge to allow soldiers to fire towards the other trench as they were
2.5 metres in depth
Parapet Low protective wall
Ammunition shelf Area in which ammo was kept near the firestep
