Advances in the diagnosis of shock, its assessment and resuscitation during the Great War

Abstract

The Great War of 1914-1918 ushered in a new era of technology on the battlefield resulting in casualties on an unprecedented scale. There had been progress in many related areas of medicine before the outbreak of hostilities but these had not been applied or fully developed in clinical practice. This is particularly true for the management of haemorrhagic shock and resuscitation. This article discusses the history and development of medical treatment of shock and trauma patients during the conflict.

Keywords: Western Front; World War I; gum acacia; oxygen therapy; resuscitation; shock; transfusion.