Para 3

• Para 3 - part 1

  During World War I, soldiers in the trenches faced harsh conditions that fostered the spread of disease and infection. Overcrowding, poor sanitation, and waterlogged ground created an ideal environment for illnesses like trench fever, which was caused by bacteria transmitted through lice bites. The cramped, muddy conditions left soldiers with few opportunities to wash or change clothes, making it nearly impossible to eliminate lice. Dysentery, caused by consuming contaminated food and water, spread rapidly, leading to severe dehydration and weakness.
• Para 3 - part 2

  Inadequate medical supplies and limited access to proper treatment meant infections often went untreated, worsening soldiers' physical and mental health.
• Para 3 - part 3

  ‘Sickness was as great a problem as enemy gunfire. Troops exposed to damp, cold weather soon fell victim to bronchitis and pneumonia. Trench lavatories were disgusting, and dysentery and similar complaints were common. In the summer of 1915, it was estimated that more than three-quarters of the allied troops at Gallipoli were suffering from some form of intestinal illness.’ (Witness History Series – War in the trenches by Stewart Ross).
• Para 3 - part 4

  However, one limitation of disease and infection as trench conditions was that they were frequently treatable compared to other hardships. Soldiers suffering from illnesses such as trench fever or dysentery may be transported to field hospitals for treatment, as opposed to those injured or killed by shellfire or sniper attacks. Furthermore, measures such as improved drainage, lice control, and hygiene served to mitigate the disease's impact over time.
• Para 3 - part 5

  Overall, disease and infection were not the most extreme conditions because they were preventable by implementing certain measures such as building bathhouses and disinfecting bedding and clothing, but these measures were not successful as it is estimated that 380,000 to 520,000 members of the British army suffered from trench fever which had a debilitating effect, leaving large numbers of men incapacitated. 

   
• Para 3 - part 6

  Shell shock was the worst trench condition because shell shock was also particularly feared because it could strike any soldier, regardless of their physical condition or experience, making it an unpredictable and insidious threat. This added to the overall anxiety and stress of trench warfare, as no one felt immune to its effects.