Medicine in World War II

by Dr. Mary Williams, R.N. D.C.

As long as military conflicts have occurred, casualties have ensued, and when it comes to this statistic, World War II tops them all. More than 38 million people, including both civilians and military, died as a result of World War II, making it the deadliest war in history. More than 50 countries participated in the fighting, and World War II took place on two fronts, one in Europe and the other in the South Pacific. Medical advances played a major role in the way nurses and doctors provided treatment for wounded soldiers and sailors and worked to prevent even further casualties.

Wartime Medical Care

The U.S. Army Medical Department, responsible for providing care to the military during World War II, had 57,000 nurses and 47,000 doctors. Approximately 535,000 medics and 2,000 veterinarians also provided care during this conflict. Tending to the wounded began with medics and nurses in the field. If patients needed further care, they were moved to small evacuation or field hospitals. Severely wounded soldiers would be transferred to larger hospitals either away from the front lines overseas or back in the United States.

• World War II and Military Medicine Advancements: Medical professionals began utilizing many new processes during World War II, including trauma surgery and treatments for infectious diseases.
• The Science and Technology of World War II: New inventions and scientific discoveries impacted the medical care provided during World War II.
• Military Medicine During the 20th Century: Explore the medical advances that occurred during the 20th century that affected wars fought during this period.
• Treatment of War Wounds: A Historical Review: Norman Kirk was the surgeon general during almost all of World War II.
• The Army Nurse Corps: The Army Nurse Corps placed nurses closer to the front lines than they had ever been.
• Short History of Military Nursing: World War II, 1939-45: Nurses serving overseas during World War II were part of the U.S. Army.
• Providing for the Casualties of War (PDF): As weaponry advanced, medical technology needed to keep up to treat military casualties.
• Preventative Medicine in World War II (PDF): Explore the process of providing medical care to troops during World War II in this digitized book.
• World War II and Expansion (PDF): Venereal disease was a prevalent problem for troops during World War II.
• Medical Advances as a Result of War (PDF): More than 407,000 American soldiers died in World War II.
• Osteopathic Medicine in Uniform (PDF): In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt passed a law that enabled doctors of osteopathic medicine to be commission in the U.S. Navy.
• A Brief History of the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross did not begin formal training in advanced techniques such as CPR until after the end of World War II.
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Medical Advances That Impacted the War

The invention of penicillin prior to World War II had a significant impact on treatment during the war. Penicillin was administered for cases of gonorrhea and syphilis. The use of sulfanilamide, an antibacterial agent, was also a huge medical advance that helped many wounded soldiers. The military was instructed to sprinkle sulfanilamide powder on a wound as soon as possible to prevent infection. Preventative medicine was also initiated as a means of keeping illnesses such as typhus and malaria at bay. For instance, atabrine, a new synthetic drug used to prevent malaria, was given to soldiers. But although it was effective, many soldiers did not want to take it due to unpleasant side effects. During this time, doctors also began to realize the impact of shock on the human body after injury. With this new understanding, treatment began to include the administration of intravenous solutions designed to minimize blood and electrolyte loss after injury.

• The History of World War II Medicine: Sulfanilamide and penicillin became treatment options during World War II.
• War and Medicine: Medical advances and the development of new treatments helped to save lives during wartime.
• The War That Changed Your World: Penicillin began being used in mass quantities during World War II.
• Penicillin: Medicine's Wartime Wonder Drug: Penicillin was discovered in 1928 and was introduced as a clinical treatment in 1941.
• Standard List of Medical Supplies Issued to U.S. Merchant Ships During World War II: Explore a list of medicines utilized during World War II on merchant ships.
• Malaria in World War II: Malaria was a significant health threat during World War II because of the fighting that occurred in the South Pacific, where the disease was more prevalent.