During WWI, trench foot was first treated with bed rest. Soldiers were also treated with foot washes made from lead and opium. As their conditions improved, massages and plant-based oils (such as olive oil) were applied.
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How did doctors treat trench foot?
There are a few common ways that doctors treat trench foot: Warming the feet with heated pads or warm water. Physical therapy to bring circulation back to the feet. Cleaning and disinfecting the feet with antifungal agents.
How did soldiers protect themselves from trench foot?
The only remedy for trench foot was for the soldiers to dry their feet and change their socks several times a day. By the end of 1915 British soldiers in the trenches had to have three pairs of socks with them and were under orders to change their socks at least twice a day.
What does trench foot smell like?
Initial symptoms often include tingling or itching which can progress to numbness. The feet may become red or bluish in color. As the condition worsens the feet can start to swell and smell of decay. Complications may include skin breakdown or infection.
| Trench foot | |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Keep feet dry Surgical debridement |
What did they smell in ww1?
The most commonly used gas in WWI was ‘mustard gas’ [bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide]. In pure liquid form this is colorless, but in WWI impure forms were used, which had a mustard color with an odor reminiscent of garlic or horseradish.
What did ww1 trenches smell like?
The stink of war
Then there was the smell. Stinking mud mingled with rotting corpses, lingering gas, open latrines, wet clothes and unwashed bodies to produce an overpowering stench. The main latrines were located behind the lines, but front-line soldiers had to dig small waste pits in their own trenches.
How do soldiers pee in battle?
Porta-Johns. Yes, we have “Porta-sh*tters” located on the frontlines. For the most part, they’re located on the larger FOBs. To keep these maintained, allied forces pay local employees, who live nearby, to pump the human discharge out of the poop reservoirs.
How did soldiers go to the toilet in ww1?
The latrines was the name given to trench toilets. They were usually pits, 4 ft. to 5 ft. deep, dug at the end of a short sap. Each company had two sanitary personnel whose job it was to keep the latrines in good condition.
Was trench foot painful?
Trench foot, also known as immersion foot, occurs when the feet are wet for long periods of time. It can be quite painful, but it can be prevented and treated.
Do people still get trench foot today?
Since the infamous outbreak of trench foot during WWI, there’s now more awareness about the benefits of keeping your feet dry. However, it’s still possible to get trench foot even today if your feet are exposed to cold and wet conditions for too long.
What is the fastest way to cure trench foot?
How Do You Treat Trench Feet?
- Good Foot Hygiene: Thoroughly clean and dry the feet.
- Warm The Feet: Gently re-warm the feet to improve circulation.
- Potassium Permanganate Foot Bath: can help draw fluid out of the affected area.
- Amputation: in severe cases were gangrene has set in, amputation is required.
How often did soldiers shower in ww1?
About once every week to ten days
About once every week to ten days, Soldiers would go to the rear for their shower. Upon entering the shower area they turned in their dirty clothing. After showering they received new cloths.
What does death smell like?
A decomposing body will typically have a smell of rotting meat with fruity undertones.
What did D Day smell like?
Their senses were soon choked with the smells of wet canvas gear, seawater and acrid clouds of powder from the huge naval guns firing just over their heads. As the landing craft drew close to shore, the deafening roar stopped, quickly replaced by German artillery rounds crashing into the water all around them.
What happened to the dead bodies in the trenches ww1?
Many men killed in the trenches were buried almost where they fell. If a trench subsided, or new trenches or dugouts were needed, large numbers of decomposing bodies would be found just below the surface. These corpses, as well as the food scraps that littered the trenches, attracted rats.
How did soldiers sleep in the trenches?
Getting to sleep
When able to rest, soldiers in front line trenches would try and shelter from the elements in dugouts. These varied from deep underground shelters to small hollows in the side of trenches – as shown here.
What did they eat in trenches?
The ‘trench ration’ was designed to feed a certain number of soldiers. It was used when the food prepared in the field kitchens could be delivered. It included corned beef, sardines, salmon, coffee, salt, sugar and even cigarettes. The ’emergency ration’ included highly caloric aliments, such as chocolate.
Head (ship’s toilet)
What was hygiene like in ww1?
Due to unwashed bodies and clothes, open latrines, and the odor of nearby corpses and trash, the trenches – and all who spent time in them – smelled awful. Not only did soldiers in the trenches have pungent body odor, their infrequent bathing and laundry caused them to attract and spread lice to their fellow soldiers.
Where do tank crews go to the bathroom?
Tanks do not have any bathroom facilities. First of all, there is no room for a toilet. Tank has to be concealed from the outside world, ideally, so tank’s bathroom would have to have some sort of waste management system. There is no space for any of that.
What did they drink in the trenches?
The beverages provided from the army command were beer, rum, gin and whisky. Especially the ‘barbed wire whiskies’ were rolled out by the barrel. Whiskies like Old Orkney and 9th Hole and later Johnnie Walker were popular among the troops.