Military medicine

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French surgeon Ambroise Pare (c. 1510-1590) -- known as the "Father of Military Medicine" -- attending to a soldier's amputated leg. Ambroise Pare, on the battlefield using a ligature for the a Wellcome V0016758.jpg
French surgeon Ambroise Paré (c. 1510–1590) — known as the "Father of Military Medicine" — attending to a soldier's amputated leg.
Two French military surgeons treating wounded enemies after the battle of Inkermann, November 5, 1854. Chirurgiens francais soignant les blesses apres la bataille d'Inkermann en 1854.jpg
Two French military surgeons treating wounded enemies after the battle of Inkermann, November 5, 1854.
WWII era field hospital re-created operating tent using puppets, Diekirch Military Museum, Luxembourg Diekirch-Militarmuseum 040.jpg
WWII era field hospital re-created operating tent using puppets, Diekirch Military Museum, Luxembourg
A U.S. Combat Support Hospital (CSH), a type of mobile field hospital, used in war or disasters; successor to the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) 47th CSH0216.JPG
A U.S. Combat Support Hospital (CSH), a type of mobile field hospital, used in war or disasters; successor to the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH)
Norwegian NORMASH personnel during the Korean War NORMASH (1952) (16005170175).jpg
Norwegian NORMASH personnel during the Korean War
Medical staff aboard the US hospital ship USNS Mercy US Navy 060704-N-1577S-002 Medical staff from Operation Smile and the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) aboard the Military Sealift Command (MSC) hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), perform a cleft lip surgery.jpg
Medical staff aboard the US hospital ship USNS Mercy
The US hospital ship USNS Mercy marked with the red cross, the international protective sign US Navy 060608-N-6501M-004 The U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), anchored off of the coast of Jolo City.jpg
The US hospital ship USNS Mercy marked with the red cross, the international protective sign
U.S. Army medical personnel train local Uzbek anesthesia providers at the Fergana Emergency Center in support of Operation Provide Hope. US Navy 021023-N-5329L-002 Capt. Mike Salmi Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) from the 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) Miesau, Germany, and Dilmurod local national Interpreter.jpg
U.S. Army medical personnel train local Uzbek anesthesia providers at the Fergana Emergency Center in support of Operation Provide Hope.
German Kosovo Force armoured medical transport, marked with the protective sign Transportpanzer SanitaeterMSA.jpg
German Kosovo Force armoured medical transport, marked with the protective sign
Air ambulance of the Royal Australian Air Force in 1943, marked with the protective sign 1 Air Ambulance Unit (043264).jpg
Air ambulance of the Royal Australian Air Force in 1943, marked with the protective sign
Milos L (UGV), a military robot for evacuating the wounded from the battlefield. Milos L 01.jpg
Miloš L (UGV), a military robot for evacuating the wounded from the battlefield.

The term military medicine has a number of potential connotations. It may mean:

Contents

Military medical personnel engage in humanitarian work and are "protected persons" under international humanitarian law in accordance with the First and Second Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, which established legally binding rules guaranteeing neutrality and protection for wounded soldiers, field or ship's medical personnel, and specific humanitarian institutions in an armed conflict. International humanitarian law makes no distinction between medical personnel who are members of the armed forces (and who hold military ranks) and those who are civilian volunteers. All medical personnel are considered non-combatants under international humanitarian law because of their humanitarian duties, and they may not be attacked and not be taken as prisoners of war; hospitals and other medical facilities and transports identified as such, whether they are military or civilian, may not be attacked either. The red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal are the protective signs recognised under international humanitarian law, and are used by military medical personnel and facilities for this purpose. Attacking military medical personnel, patients in their care, or medical facilities or transports legitimately marked as such is a war crime. Likewise, misusing these protective signs to mask military operations is the war crime of perfidy. Military medical personnel may be armed, usually with service pistols, for the purpose of self defense or the defense of patients.

Historical significance

The significance of military medicine for combat strength goes far beyond treatment of battlefield injuries; in every major war fought until the late 19th century disease claimed more soldier casualties than did enemy action. During the American Civil War (1860–65), for example, about twice as many soldiers died of disease as were killed or mortally wounded in combat. [1] The Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) is considered to have been the first conflict in which combat injury exceeded disease, at least in the German coalition army which lost 3.47% of its average headcount to combat and only 1.82% to disease. [2] In new world countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada, military physicians and surgeons contributed significantly to the development of civilian health care. [3] [4]

Improvements in military medicine have increased the survival rates in successive wars, due to improvements in medical evacuation, battlefield medicine and trauma care. [4] [5] Similar improvements have been seen in the trauma practices during the Iraq war. [6] Some military trauma care practices are disseminated by citizen soldiers who return to civilian practice. [4] [7] [8] One such practice is where major trauma patients are transferred to an operating theater as soon as possible, to stop internal bleeding, increasing the survival rate. Within the United States, the survival rate for gunshot wounds has increased, leading to apparent declines in the gun death rate in states that have stable rates of gunshot hospitalizations. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Military medicine by country

North America

Canada

United States

U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
U.S. Air Force

Europe

France

Belgium

Germany

Italy

Russia

Serbia

Sweden

United Kingdom

Asia


India

Israel

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps

Thailand

Phramongkutklao College of Medicine

Vietnam

  • Vietnam Military Medical University (Học Viện Quân Y) in Hanoi

Other regions

Australia

South Africa

International

See also

Related Research Articles

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A flight surgeon is a military medical officer practicing in the clinical field of aviation medicine. Although the term "flight surgery" is considered improper by purists, it may occasionally be encountered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Army Medical Command</span> U.S. Army direct reporting unit

The U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) is a direct reporting unit of the U.S. Army that formerly provided command and control of the Army's fixed-facility medical, dental, and veterinary treatment facilities, providing preventive care, medical research and development and training institutions. On 1 October 2019, operational and administrative control of all military medical facilities transitioned to the Defense Health Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Reed Army Medical Center</span> Military unit

The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), officially known as Walter Reed General Hospital (WRGH) until 1951, was the U.S. Army's flagship medical center from 1909 to 2011. Located on 113 acres (46 ha) in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the United States Armed Forces. The center was named after Walter Reed, a U.S. Army physician and sergeant who led the team that confirmed that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes rather than direct physical contact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences</span> United States federal government university in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) is a health science university and professional school of the U.S. federal government. The primary mission of the school is to prepare graduates for service to the U.S. at home and abroad as uniformed health professionals, scientists and leaders; by conducting cutting-edge, military-relevant research; by leading the Military Health System in key functional and intellectual areas; and by providing operational support to units around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Navy Nurse Corps</span> Medical-focused staff corps of the United States Navy

The United States Navy Nurse Corps was officially established by Congress in 1908; however, unofficially, women had been working as nurses aboard Navy ships and in Navy hospitals for nearly 100 years. The Corps was all-female until 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical Corps (United States Navy)</span> Medical-focused staff corps of the United States Navy

The Medical Corps of the United States Navy is a staff corps consisting of military physicians in a variety of specialties. It is the senior corps among all staff corps, second in precedence only to line officers. The corps of commissioned officers was founded on March 3, 1871.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Navy Dental Corps</span> Medical-focused staff corps of the United States Navy

The Dental Corps of the United States Navy consists of naval officers with a doctorate in either dental surgery (DDS) or dental medicine (DMD) and who practice dentistry for Sailors and Marines to ensure optimal oral health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat medic</span> Military personnel who provide first aid and frontline trauma care

A combat medic is responsible for providing emergency medical treatment at a point of wounding in a combat or training environment, as well as primary care and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury or illness. Additionally, medics may also be responsible for the creation, oversight, and execution of long-term patient care plans in consultation with or in the absence of a readily available doctor or advanced practice provider. Combat medics may be used in hospitals and clinics, where they have the opportunity to work in additional roles, such as operating medical and laboratory equipment and performing and assisting with procedures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Australian Army Medical Corps</span> Administrative corps of the Australian Army

The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 through the amalgamation of medical units of the various Australian colonies and was first deployed to South Africa as a small detachment of personnel supporting the Australian Commonwealth Horse during the Second Boer War. The corps has participated in every Australian Army operation since then, including wars and peacekeeping operations. The "Royal" prefix was granted in 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hospital corpsman</span> U.S. Navy enlisted medical specialist

A hospital corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The corresponding rating within the United States Coast Guard is health services technician (HS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Medical Department (United States)</span> U.S. Armys primary healthcare organization

The Army Medical Department of the U.S. Army (AMEDD), formerly known as the Army Medical Service (AMS), encompasses the Army's six medical Special Branches. It was established as the "Army Hospital" in July 1775 to coordinate the medical care required by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The AMEDD is led by the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, a lieutenant general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military nurse</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Army Medical Corps</span> Non-combat specialty branch of the U.S. Army Medical Department

The Medical Corps (MC) of the U.S. Army is a staff corps of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) consisting of commissioned medical officers – physicians with either an M.D. or a D.O. degree, at least one year of post-graduate clinical training, and a state medical license.

A medical corps is generally a military branch or officer corps responsible for medical care for serving military personnel. Such officers are typically military physicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Peake</span> Surgeon General of the US Army

James Benjamin Peake was the sixth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, serving from 2007 to 2009. In 2004, he retired from a 38-year United States Army career. He also served as the 40th Surgeon General of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bureau of Medicine and Surgery</span> Agency of the U.S. Department of the Navy that manages health care activities

The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) is an agency of the United States Department of the Navy that manages health care activities for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. BUMED operates hospitals and other healthcare facilities as well as laboratories for biomedical research, and trains and manages the Navy's many staff corps related to medicine. Its headquarters is located at the Defense Health Headquarters in Fairfax County, Virginia. BUMED has 41,930 medical personnel and more than a million eligible beneficiaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Medical Corps (India)</span> Specialist corps of the Indian Army

The Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the Indian Army, which primarily provides medical services to all Army personnel, serving and veterans, along with their families. Along with the branches in the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, it forms part of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS). The AFMS consists of around 60,000 personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in the military by country</span>

The recent history of changes in women's roles includes having women in the military. Every country in the world permits the participation of women in the military, in one form or another. In 2018, only two countries conscripted women and men on the same formal conditions: Norway and Sweden. A few other countries have laws conscripting women into their armed forces, however with some difference such as service exemptions, length of service, and more. Some countries do not have conscription, but men and women may serve on a voluntary basis under equal conditions. Alenka Ermenc was the first female head of armed forces in any of the NATO member states, having served as the Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces between 2018 and 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Flaherty</span>

Rear Admiral Karen Ann Flaherty assumed duties as the Deputy Surgeon General of Navy Medicine at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as of August 6, 2010. Flaherty served as the 22nd Director of the United States Navy Nurse Corps as well as the Deputy Chief, Wounded, Ill, and Injured at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery from 2009 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Armed Forces Centre for Defence Medicine</span> Military unit

The Swedish Armed Forces Centre for Defence Medicine is a tri-service military medicine center in the Swedish Armed Forces. Its staff is made up of officers, civilian specialists, group commanders and officer reservists – tasked with ensuring care is provided during peacetime, on international missions, at times of crisis and in combat.

References

  1. McPherson, James M. (1988). Battlecry of Freedom . Ballantine Books, New York. ISBN   0-345-35942-9., p. 485
  2. Brockhaus' Konversations-Lexikon ; 14th ed., Leipzig, Berlin and Vienna 1894; Vol. 8, p. 939.
  3. Vivian Charles McAlister. "Origins of the Canadian School of Surgery" Canadian Journal of Surgery (2007) 50 (5) : 357–363. Available at:
  4. 1 2 3 Manring MM, Hawk A, Calhoun JH, Andersen RC (2009). "Treatment of war wounds: a historical review". Clin Orthop Relat Res. 467 (8): 2168–91. doi:10.1007/s11999-009-0738-5. PMC   2706344 . PMID   19219516.
  5. "Chapter 3 – Medical Support 1965–1970". Archived from the original on 2016-06-06.
  6. Service, Lee Bowman, Scripps Howard News (16 March 2013). "Iraq War 10 year anniversary: Survival rate of wounded soldiers better than previous wars". Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. "Military medical techniques saving lives at home – News stories – GOV.UK".
  8. "The role of the gun in the advancement of medicine". 8 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  9. Jena, Anupam B.; Sun, Eric C.; Prasad, Vinay (2014). "Does the Declining Lethality of Gunshot Injuries Mask a Rising Epidemic of Gun Violence in the United States?". Journal of General Internal Medicine. 29 (7): 1065–1069. doi:10.1007/s11606-014-2779-z. ISSN   0884-8734. PMC   4061370 . PMID   24452421.
  10. "Lower murder rate linked to medical advance, not less violence".
  11. Fields, Gary; McWhirter, Cameron (8 December 2012). "In Medical Triumph, Homicides Fall Despite Soaring Gun Violence". Wall Street Journal.
  12. Harris, Anthony R.; Thomas, Stephen H.; Fisher, Gene A.; Hirsch, David J. (May 2002). "Murder and Medicine: The Lethality of Criminal Assault 1960–1999" (PDF). Homicide Studies. 6 (2): 128–166. doi:10.1177/108876790200600203. S2CID   51845968 . Retrieved 1 December 2022.

Further reading

Primary sources

U.S. military medicine

Australian military medicine

International Magazine for Military Medicine

NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine