Cold Injury, Ground Type in World War II (Medical Department, United States Army)

Whayne, Tom F.; DeBakey, Michael E.; Coates, John B.; McFetridge, Elizabeth M.

doi:10.21236/ada422588

Cited by 10 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…As a consequence, it was not possible to implement many of the lessons learned in this respect from World Wars I and II [3], viz . frequent troop rotation, adequate insulation and ready availability of food and warm drinks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accordingly, it would not be surprising to find varying levels of cold sensitivity in a cohort of men who, during an extended cold exposure, may succumb to cold injury at different stages. This could explain why, in combat, there is a progressive increase in morbidity levels with time [3]. Ironically, the more realistic peacetime exercises happen when there are greater chances of participants sustaining cold sensitisation and thus increased susceptibility to cold injury.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lessons from history: morbidity of cold injury in the Royal Marines during the Falklands Conflict of 1982

Golden

Francis²,

Gallimore

et al. 2013

Extrem Physiol Med

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BackgroundEnvironmental conditions in the Falklands Conflict of 1982 favoured the genesis of cold injuries. Immediately, post-war, cold injury morbidity and its contributory factors were assessed, in the personnel of UK 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde).MethodsA questionnaire survey of the 3,006 members of 3 Cdo Bde who landed on the islands was conducted within 6–10 weeks of the end of hostilities. Questions included those relating to features of cold injury, body morphology, age, symptoms experienced, past medical history and other possible contributory causes. Additionally, the unit medical team conducted a cursory examination. Data were sent to the Royal Navy Institute of Naval Medicine (INM), where the degree of likely cold injury was broadly classified (‘asymptomatic’ ‘mild’, ‘moderate’ or ‘severe’). A sample (total 109) was then selected at random from each category and subsequently examined and tested at the INM (nerve conduction, photoplethysmography and thermography testing). Forty-seven non-cold exposed sailors acted as a control group. These contemporaneous records have now been identified and interrogated.ResultsSome 2,354 (78%) completed questionnaires were returned, revealing that 1,505 (64%) had experienced symptoms of non-freezing cold injury. The morbidity in the infantry units was significantly greater than that in the support troops (1,051 (76%) vs 454 (46%), p < 0.05). No evidence was found to support an influence of a number of factors, commonly believed to have an aetiological role in the production of cold injury. Whilst there was no significant relationship between past history and cold injury morbidity in the brigade as a whole, or within the infantry units alone, an association was identified in the collective infantry units (73%) and the support/headquarter units (59%) (p < 0.05).In comparison with uninjured sailors who acted as controls (n = 47), nerve conduction was impaired in 35% of those screened some months after returning to the UK, while the photoplethysmography and thermographic responses to a cold sensitivity test showed that most (including those classed by questionnaire as asymptomatic) had residual ‘cold sensitivity’.ConclusionsAlthough the passage of time has made retrospective interrogation of historical documents hard, the available data do appear to offer valuable historical and clinical insights. Cold injury affected the majority of those fighting in the cold temperate climate of the Falklands. The overwhelming environmental conditions meant that, for most, a past history of cold injury did not appear to represent a risk factor for subsequent injury, as is the case for less severe conditions. Importantly, even asymptomatic individuals when tested often showed physiological evidence of cold injury—perhaps predisposing them to subsequent elevation in risk.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons from history: morbidity of cold injury in the Royal Marines during the Falklands Conflict of 1982

Golden

Francis²,

Gallimore

et al. 2013

Extrem Physiol Med

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“…The incidence of new cases of trench foot dropped from 38 per 1000 men in 1915 to 12.8 in 1916, 11.3 in 1917 and 3.8 in 1918. 22 It is of interest to note that when an anomaly in this general reduction was noted and investigated in one Army division, it was found that the battalion medical officers, rather than company officers had been made responsible for implementing preventative measures. This was rectified and an improved incidence reduction achieved.…”

Section: Development Of Preventative Strategies During First World Warmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This led American observers to state‘It is a lamentable but nonetheless incontrovertible fact that most of the serious losses which occurred from cold injury among the United States Army troops in World War II should not have occurred’. 22 Many reasons were suggested for the difference in incidence. One was the routine practice of an enforced foot care routine, although without the relative luxury of First World War foot centres.…”

Section: Second World Warmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non-freezing cold injury, lessons from history for future prevention

Whitaker

2015

Trauma

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Living, operating and training in adverse and exposed environmental situations place humans at risk of climatic injury including non-freezing cold injury. Non-freezing cold injury has caused, and continues to cause, significant problems to both civilians and military personnel exposed to cold. This article reviews the impact of this condition through history and identifies lessons that can be drawn for prevention based on historical and contemporary evidence.

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“…44 Subsequently these general methods were applied to trauma of accidental origin44 in many fields. Teeth are destroyed by trauma and adjacent structures commonly suffer injury.…”

Section: Current Direction Of Dental Epidemiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dental Problems in an Epidemiologic Perspective

Gordon¹

1959

Am J Public Health Nations Health

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Cold Injury, Ground Type in World War II (Medical Department, United States Army)

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Lessons from history: morbidity of cold injury in the Royal Marines during the Falklands Conflict of 1982

Lessons from history: morbidity of cold injury in the Royal Marines during the Falklands Conflict of 1982

Non-freezing cold injury, lessons from history for future prevention

Dental Problems in an Epidemiologic Perspective

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