War Wounds (eBook)

The history of warfare and the history of medicine are closely intertwined. The major wars of the last hundred years - from the First World War to more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan - have driven advances in treatments for wounds and pain management, the use of antibacterial agents and more effective prevention and control of disease and infection, as well as the development of radical new approaches to evacuating, treating and healing the injured.
In this riveting book, for the first time, historians, medical practitioners and researchers, military medical officers, surgeons, nurses and veterans explore the impact of war, wounds and trauma through the historical record, reported narratives and personal experiences.
WAR WOUNDS includes chapters on shell shock, self-inflicted wounds and reconstructive surgery in the First World War, medical experiments and disease in the Nazi death camps of the Second World War, and the effects of Agent Orange, antipersonnel mines and sexually transmitted diseases in the Vietnam War. The book also includes the first-hand experiences of medical professionals in the Korean War, Vietnam and the current conflict in Afghanistan, as well as several moving personal stories recounting veterans' experiences of injury, treatment on the battlefield and eventual recovery.
WAR WOUNDS is a unique book, offering considerable insights into an aspect of war that is often mentioned but seldom examined as it is here. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in warfare or medicine, whether casual or professional.
The history of warfare and the history of medicine are closely intertwined. The major wars of the last hundred years - from the First World War to more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan - have driven advances in treatments for wounds and pain management, the use of antibacterial agents and more effective prevention and control of disease and infection, as well as the development of radical new approaches to evacuating, treating and healing the injured.
In this riveting book, for the first time, historians, medical practitioners and researchers, military medical officers, surgeons, nurses and veterans explore the impact of war, wounds and trauma through the historical record, reported narratives and personal experiences.
WAR WOUNDS includes chapters on shell shock, self-inflicted wounds and reconstructive surgery in the First World War, medical experiments and disease in the Nazi death camps of the Second World War, and the effects of Agent Orange, antipersonnel mines and sexually transmitted diseases in the Vietnam War. The book also includes the first-hand experiences of medical professionals in the Korean War, Vietnam and the current conflict in Afghanistan, as well as several moving personal stories recounting veterans' experiences of injury, treatment on the battlefield and eventual recovery.
WAR WOUNDS is a unique book, offering considerable insights into an aspect of war that is often mentioned but seldom examined as it is here. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in warfare or medicine, whether casual or professional.
CONTRIBUTORS: First World War: Jay Winter, Ashley Ekins, Kerry Neale, Marina Larsson. Second World War: Paul Weindling, Debbie Lackerstein. Korean War: Simon Gandevia. Vietnam War: David Bradford, Elizabeth Stewart, Graham Walker, Peter Edwards. Personal Stories: Tony White, Sharon Cooper, Graham Edwards.

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The history of warfare and the history of medicine are closely intertwined. War has been an accelerator of advances in medical treatment and surgery. As modern weaponry became more destructive, medicine developed techniques and procedures to deal with the volume and nature of battlefield casualties. Preventative medicine has also increased the effectiveness of fighting forces through improvements in soldiers' health and disease resistance.This book is a collection of chapters by historians, medical practitioners and researchers, former and serving military medical officers, surgeons, nurses and veterans, who explore the impact of war, wounds and trauma through the historical record, reported narratives and personal experiences. The book includes major sections on World War One (including chapters on shell shock and plastic surgery), World War Two (including a chapter on the Nazi death camps), the Vietnam War (including chapters on Agent Orange and sexually transmitted diseases), together with chapters on the Korean War and the current conflict in Afghanistan. In addition, the book includes several personal stories in which veterans describe their experiences of injury and recovery. War Wounds is a truly unique book, which offers considerable insights into an aspect of war that is often mentioned but seldom examined as it is here. Medical professionals, military personnel and the general public will all find it a remarkably revealing read.