Infection Improvement in WW1

Infection Improvement in WW1

Antiseptic + aseptic surgery was not possible in dressing stations + casualty clearing stations. Many wounds were already infected before surgery.

Surgeons went back to using chemicals to kill bacteria, but it didn't work to kill gas gangrene.

1917 (Carrel - Dakin method) sterilised salt solutions were used to flush through wounds which proved to be more effective.

Salt solutions didn't work on too deep infections , so surgery was developed to remove damaged + infected tissue. It also removed any traces of bullets + shrapnol.

If no methods worked they would resort to amputating any limbs needed