Medical Treatment

Dear Family,

I'm alright now, but last week I had a minor injury to my arm. Fortunately, because the medics got to me in the first hour, I had an 85% chance of survival. I'm just glad to not have any injuries from gunshots, shrapnel or poison gas after seeing what happened to so many of my fellow soldiers. The medics tell me that these are the leading causes of death, especially if your wounded in the head, chest or abdomen. Because of the nature of my injury and the unsanitary conditions of the trench, I even have a large bandage to protect me from infection, but that's most likely inevitable anyways. The medic's sure do look overworked though; I'm sure they have far too many patients as they can handle.
         
As lucky as I am to not have a serious injury, I'm also lucky to not have any illness. There are a lot of diseases spreading around, many of which are can be fatal. One of the big illnesses around here is called 'Trench Fever'. In fact, one of the medics told me that there's a theory that it comes from lice. It's incredibly unpleasant, symptoms including everything from headaches to rashes to pained legs. It's not really serious, but I know a few guys who were sent to the hospital because of it. Similarly, there's this other infection called 'Trench Foot'. We reckon it's caused by the cold, wet and unsanitary conditions our feet are subjected to in the trenches. Someone I heard even had to have his foot amputated because of it!
    
Anyway, I'm probably grossing you out right now, but I just feel very thankful not to have any of these diseases or injuries.

I'll write again soon,
John

These are some British soldiers that are helping an ambulance through the mud. As you can see, the conditions around the ambulance are nowhere near sanitary, and it has awful slow transportation. 

Here you can see two stretcher-bearers carrying a wounded soldier on a stretcher across wobbly terrain. This does not seem safe at all, but it was the best that they could manage.


Miller, M Geoffrey. The Medical Front. Virtual Library, 11 Nov. 2010. Web. 7 
     Dec. 2010.


British soldiers help ambulance through mud. 20th Century. Private Collection. 
     firstworldwar. Web. 7 Dec. 2010.


British Stretcher Bearers. N.d. Private Collection. firstworldwar. Web. 7 Dec.
     2010.


Dennison, John D. "Medics, A Brief History." 1st Cav Medic. N.p., n.d. Web. 7
     Dec. 2010.


"Medicine: War Wounds." Time. N.p., 18 Sept. 1939. Web. 7 Dec. 2010.


firstworldwar. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2010.