Alcester Foot Clinic

11 11 2018 - 11 11 1918

07 11 2018 - 11 11 1918

The Thomas Splint helped save many lives. Some of those whose leg injuries were to serious or had intractable infection required amputation.

On display is prosthetic limb from the WW1 era and typical of those fabricated and fitted at Queen Mary's Hospital for limbless soldiers who specialised in the care of amputees, Set up in 1915 it soon became a world-renowned limb fitting and amputee rehabilitation centre.

Trying to lead a normal life must have been very challenging.

The story of Wilfred Whitfield exemplifies these difficulties.

Wilfred Whitfield became an amputee after sustaining an injury in the Somme.Wilf ’s war didn’t end with the Armistice. There was no hero’s welcome and Wilf was refused jobs for three years. Along with other amputee Service men, he found his benefits cut and doors shut as the nation struggled through the Depression of the 1920s.

Wilf campaigning to improve employment opportunities, medical techniques, social support and public awareness of the struggles of wounded veterans.

His campaigning was a catalyst and helped the formation of Blesma. A military charity for limbless veterans and is still active today..

05 11 1918 - 11 11 1918

The First World War was, in the scale of injury, a completely new phenomenon. ''Wounds in war and their treatment and results'', written by Lieutenant Colonel D'Arcy Power in 1915 is an immediate response to educate surgeons to this change. It is written in a matter of fact and forthright manner which leaves nothing to the imagination. A copy is on display in my practice window.

Due to the long time between sustaining the injury and arrival in a field hospital wounds were often infected. The very basic field dressing and the application of iodine is all the soldier had to self treat a wound.

''Its a blighty wound alright. The trouble is mate, it's infected''

My thoughts go to those who died or suffered life changing surgery to address these infections which today could have been treated so easily with antibiotics.