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Why was WW2 A Catalyst for Medical Change? (Blood was still widely needed…
Why was WW2 A Catalyst for Medical Change?
Burn injuries were more common due to the increase in the use of aircrafts and flamethrower
They needed to find a way to help burnt soldiers recover from devastating burns
Helped to develop plastic surgeries techniques such as skin grafting and pedicle skin grafts to fix facial disfigurements.
They discovered saline baths were better for burns to heal instead of using a chemical coating as the chemical coating tightened the tissue around the burn; reducing the movement of the patient.
Mcindoe encouraged his burn patients to socialise and to keep a more optimistic point of view
improved the mental health of injured soldiers
Shrapnel and bullet wounds remained common
Dwight Harkan developed a technique to remove bullets and shrapnel from the heart.
His technique helped later development of heart surgery.
Blood was still widely needed for surgeries.
The blood transfusion service and the Army Blood Supply Depot were established.
Blood could be stored and delivered whenever needed.
Doctors started to use blood plasma as a substance for whole blood.
Dried plasma was developed
Transportation and storage became simpler.
The Rhesus Blood Group System was discovered.
This meant that transfusions could be conducted safer.
Infection
Tetanus and infection were still common
The tetanus vaccine was discovered
After soldiers got the vaccine they didn't develop tetanus from shrapnel injuries.
For example, in the Battle of Dunkirk 1940, all the vaccinated soldiers who were wounded didn't develop tetanus.
Penicillin began to be used more commonly to fight infection