What was the most common trench disease in World War 1?
Prevention: Improved drainage in trenches, waterproof footwear, frequently changing into dry socks Trench foot was a disease well known in the medical field. It had been plaguing soldiers for centuries, but it became especially problematic in the early months of the Great War when it affected tens of thousands.
What kind of diseases were spread in World War 1?
Top 10 Diseases That Were Spread in World War 1 1 Trench Foot. 2 Trench Fever. 3 Typhoid and Typhus Fever. 4 Influenza. 5 Malaria. 6 (more items)
How was trench foot treated in World War 1?
The only solution to this problem was for the soldiers to be able to rinse their wounds in lukewarm water, dry their feet, and change their socks several times a day. The number of cases of trench foot rose to over 75,000 in the British Army and around 2,000 in the US Army.
Why did so many people die in the trenches?
Many died in combat, through accidents, or perished as prisoners of war. But the majority of loss of life can be attributed to famine and disease – horrific conditions meant fevers, parasites and infections were rife on the frontline and ripped through the troops in the trenches.
What diseases did trench warfare cause?
With soldiers fighting in close proximity in the trenches, usually in unsanitary conditions, infectious diseases such as dysentery, cholera and typhoid fever were common and spread rapidly. Constant exposure to wetness caused trench foot, a painful condition in which dead tissue spread across one or both feet,…
What diseases were common during World War 1?
Trench foot, trench fever, typhoid and influenza are the diseases that were around in World War 1. Most diseases made the soldiers very sick. However influenza and typhoid proved to be the deadliest diseases.
What is trench disease?
Trench fever (also known as “five-day fever”, “quintan fever” ( febris quintana in Latin ), and “urban trench fever”) is a moderately serious disease transmitted by body lice. It infected armies in Flanders, France, Poland, Galicia , Italy, Salonika , Macedonia , Mesopotamia , Russia and Egypt in World War I.