science

Cards (94)

  • How long was the british sector of the Western Front?

    150 km (90miles)
  • The British Sector of the Western Front?

    The British army fought in four key locations on the Western Front. The different terrain at each location had an impact on the injuries and treatment soldiers experienced.
  • Poisonous Gas was first used by the Germans in WW1 1915
  • What is the Importance of Ypres to the British?

    It was en route to channel ports of Calais and Dunkirk. British needed this route to transport supplies to its soldiers like food and equipment as well as reinforcements.
    This location was vulnerable as Germans had higher ground and could see the Britishes defences and movements
  • Battles of Ypres
    In the First battle of Ypres Germans attacked october-november 1914.The BEF were destroyed but the Germans were halted they tried to outflank the British and French but failed
  • The Problem With Ypres's Terrain
    Ypres's Terrain included heavy soil that easily waterlogged and flooded. Stretcher Bearers had a difficult time travelling through wet and muddy ground including when around 6 men carried one injured.
  • The Battle of Somme(July-November 1916)

    Most casualties in a day having 60,000 casualties and 20,000 dead on its first day.
  • Battle of Arras (1917)

    New Zealand and British soldiers dug a network of tunnels through the chalky ground. They fitted running water and electricity and was used for accommodation and then later used in underground hospitals with operating theatres. It also sheltered soldiers during fights.
  • Battle of Cambrai (1917)

    In August 1916 The Creeping Barrage was first deployed right before the battle of cambrai
    450 Tanks were deployed and the initial attack was successful however there was not enough infantry support and couldn't defend the are.The British lost most of the land they took
  • Problems with treating the wounded (Western Front)
    • Constant dropping of bombs - Left craters and holes that made movement of injured difficult
    • Bacteria-Dirt and Bacteria in the soil caused infection
    • Stretcher bearers-Working day and night and couldnt always see their route,There were a lack of soldiers when 6 per stretcher were needed.
    • Ambulances-Motorised and horse-drawn but was extremely difficult to move in mud,soldiers were left for days waiting for rescue
    • High Casualty Rates-Battles slowed down medical treatment
  • when Were the Trenches Dug?
    1914
  • Trench System?
    Trenches started from French and Belgian Coasts
    Why did they dig trenches quickly?
    Both sides wanted to protect the sides they had claimed and their routes to the sea where they could get their resources.
    Trenches were dug in a zigzag pattern as a defensive strategy.Preventing enemy soldiers being able to see and fire along the trench however it also meant the trenches were narrow so treating the wounded was difficult
  • Layout of a Trench
    • No Mans Land-Land between the allied and German trenches,flat filled with craters barbed wire and no cover.
    • Front Line Trench- Closest to the enemy,The soldiers would fire across No Mans land from this point.
    • Communication Trench- The trenches connected the other lines of trenches,Soldiers used them to move between
    • Support Trench-Thse were behind the Front Line Trenches.Soldiers would retreat here during attacks
    • Reserve Trench-These were behind Support Trenches
    • Dugout-Dug into the sides of Trenches ,Men would use these for protection and rest
  • chronological of the different battles on the Western Front 1914-1918 ?

    Ypres- (1st battle) 1914 (second battle) 1915 (Third Battle-Battle of Paschendale) 1917
    Somme - 1916
    Arras - 1917
    Cambrai - 1917
  • What Ilnesses did soldiers from on the Western Front?
    • Trench Fever
    • Trench Foot
    • Dysentary
    • Shell Shock
  • Trench Fever?
    Spread via Lice in the seams of soldiers clothing and blankets.
    For Prevention -
    • clothing and bedding were disinfected
    • bathhouses were built
    • louse-repellent gel was given to some soldiers to put on their clothes and bodies
    • soldiers picked lice out of their clothing by hand or ran a lit match down their seams
    These were not very successful because of overcrowding and damp/flooded trenches.The problem remained to the end of the war and those sick would be unable to fight
  • Trench Foot
    Caused by bacteria in the soil entering the wound and causing infection
  • Trench Foot Symptoms
    • Swollen Feet
    • Blisters
    • Blue Feet
  • Trench Foot
    Could lead to gangrene where the skin would die and amputation was required
  • Trench Foot Prevention
    1. Soldiers ordered to change socks twice a day
    2. Soldiers encouraged to rub whale oil into feet to keep cool
    3. Mechanical pumps sent to front to reduce flooding
  • Dysentary?
    An infection that affected the bowels
    Caused by
    • Overcrowding and poor hygiene in the trenches
    Caused
    • stomach pains and diarrhoea to the point of dehydration
  • Shell shock?
    Until shell shock was diagnosed, it was recorded as ‘Not yet diagnosed. Nervous.’ Shell shock was a psychological reaction to the trauma of war. Because it was little understood, soldiers were often accused of cowardice and being too scared to fight.
  • How many people suffered from shell shock

     Altogether, there were 80,000 recorded cases of shell shock within the British army.
     soldiers were disgraced and court martialled for refusing to fight. Today, doctors would recognise the symptoms as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • Types of wounds in ww1
    • Artillery
    • Machine Guns
    • Rifle fire
    • Shrapnel Shells
    • Gunshots
    • Amputation
    • Broken Bones
    • Blood Loss
    • Loss of SIght and hearing
  • When were Steel Helmets Introduced?
    1915
    (Rapid-fire and more powerful weapons led to bullets and shrapnel going deeper into the body. They introduced pieces of material and soil into the body, which could lead to infection. Many soldiers died from the infection rather than the bullet wound. The bacteria from fertiliser in the soil led to soldiers dying from gas gangrene. Military surgeons had little experience of this infection and so it caused many deaths and amputations.)
  • All Gas Types used in WW1?
    • Chlorine Gas, 1915 , Caused Suffocation and possible death
    • Phosgene Gas , 1915 ypres , Suffocation and quick death
    • Mustard Gas . 1917 .No smell,Burned the skin causing internal and external blisters. Suffocation and Death
  • William Harvey?
    Taught the importance of observing and recording patient symptoms
    • Discovered the process of blood circulation,
    • He discovered this through dissecting cold blooded animals like frogs because they had slower blood flow so he could visibly see the blood move
  • Importance of William Harvey??

    • He dissproved Galens theories so people began to question galen too.
    • He improved knowledge about the function of the body.By 1700 his work was being taught in medical schools.
    • H e was a Royal Physician so his work held credibility and inspired others.
    • His methods brought results
    • His incomplete discoveries enouraged further experiments
  • Spontaneous generation?
    germs being produced by decaying matter
  • Microscopes renaissance?
    By 1700 they developed cloudy images of bacteria
    By 1850 microscopes improved meaning extremely small images were visible and were essential in later scientific breakthroughs
  • Change in Theory of cause of disease: Germ Theory (1)
    • (1861) Louis Pasteur (French) published his Germ Theory,dissproving spontaneous Generation..
    • He proved microbes caused decay and held a theory that these germs also caused disease but he could not prove this
  • Robert Koch (German Scientist)?

    Read Pasteurs work and studied microbes. He proved Pasteurs Theory that microbes caused disease and decay.
    Identified that specific microbes caused Tuberculosis in 1882, and cholera in 1883
  • Mobile X-ray Units?
    Located bullets and shrapnel and used in base hospitals from 1914.And in some Casualty clearing stations
  • RAMC?
    Royal Army Medical Corps were the main providers of care
  • underground Hospital of Arras

    Thompson Cave. The hospital was close to the front lines underneath the town. It had space for 700 beds an operating theatre and a mortuary, It had running water and electricity.
  • Blood Transfusions 

    In 17th century doctors did transfusions from animals to humans but people didn't survive.
    James Blundell Performed the first human-to-human blood transfusion 1818-1829. Blood had to be directly transferred and there was no way to store it.
    1901 Karl Landsteiner discovered three blood groups and his collagues in 1902 found the fourth.
  • X-rays
    discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen after discovering light from a tube lit up on a screen. However X-rays took a long time as photography was in development
    High doses of radiation was used
    large machines were heavy to transport
  • Aseptic Surgery

    Joseph Lister's contributions aided in the help of antiseptic surgery being established by 1900.
    The wards were thoroughly cleaned and sterilised the equipment clothing and surgeons/nurses wore masks to prevent breathing infection
  • When did Robert Koch develop a steam steriliser?
    1878
  • Chain of Evacuation

    1. Regimental Aid Post
    2. Field Ambulance
    3. Casualty Clearing Stations
    4. Base Hospitals