The History—and Future—of Combat Care
Maj. Gen. George A. Alexander
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Throughout history there have been numerous medical advances on the battlefield. During Alexander the Great’s military campaigns in the 4th century B.C., soldiers with bleeding extremity wounds were taken care of through the use of tourniquets. Tourniquets were also employed by the Romans during amputations. The practice of using an early stretcher made from wicker and placed on a frame was recorded in a 1380 A.D. manuscript. Simple stretchers were used to transport casualties during wartime through the mid-20th century. The practice of triage was pioneered during the Napoleonic Wars. American Civil War surgeon Maj. Jonathan Letterman developed modern methods of medical organizations within armies.
Battlefield medicine, also known as combat casualty care, developed a great deal between World War I and World War II. In the former, about four of every 100 wounded men who received treatment could be expected to survive; in the latter, the rate improved to 50 of every 100.
https://www.ausa.org/articles/history%E2%80%94and-future%E2%80%94-combat-care
