medical problems in the trenches Flashcards
how much of the army was infected with trench foot?
1/6
what did trench foot cause?
restricted blood flow in the feet so parts of the flesh died
what happened if trench foot was left untreated?
could cause gangrene and blood poisoning
how was trench foot checked?
a soldier doctor would check every morning for signs
what was trench fever also known as?
pyrexia unknown origin (puo)
how was trench fever caused?
by lice infestations
how long did trench fever last?
usually 5 days, but it sometimes came back
name the rigorous methods for getting rid of trench foot: (5)
high temperature laundry and steaming
disinfecting clothes and bedding
using mobile showers
issuing uniform replacements
men washing in paraffin
what would soldiers do to try and rid trench fever?
they would squash them between their fingernails and remove their egg
what did nydn shell shock stand for?
not yet diagnosed nervous shell shock
what is shell shock known as today?
ptsd
from the years 1916-17 where were all shell shock cases treated?
in france
how was shell shock treated?
with mostly:
- rest
-good food
- ‘calm them down’ talks from doctors
how was shell-shock treated in rare cases?
using electro-shock therapy
what did the army fear about shell-shock?
that it was contagious
