Some fumes remained on clothes causing blisters and sores.

Gas could affect someone’s vision and breathing in just a few minutes so protective masks were given to all soldiers. When gas was first used, doctors and nurses did even not know how to treat even simple symptoms. It had some grave effects.Some gas was intended to only cause runny noses and watery eyes. Poisonous gas was also used as a weapon for the first time in World War One. The living conditions in the trenches were very dirty, especially caused by the mud, caused one surgeon to say “ every gunshot wound is… more or less infected at the moment of infliction” Also, standing in water for long periods of time in the trenches caused trench foot where infection causes the flesh of the foot to decay and die.Īlso, the number of head wounds early in the war led the government to introduce the ‘Brodie helmet’ as standard kit for the soldiers in 1915.

Only 12 percent of wounds recorded were to the torso, this is because many soldiers who were hit in the torso usually died so they never made it to the hospital in time so their injuries weren’t recorded. Arm injuries were often caused by high explosive artillery shells. Firstly, the soldiers were injured in many different ways, leg wounds were the most commonly recorded area of injury and amputation was often needed.

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