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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2005-02 > 1108839281


From: Sue Light <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] medical question, 1914
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 18:54:41 +0000
References: <006c01c51699$0f589c80$eaa59a51@default> <whGym7BHp2FCFweg@purley.demon.co.uk> <00b501c516ae$036098f0$eaa59a51@default>
In-Reply-To: <00b501c516ae$036098f0$eaa59a51@default>


Although one of the books mentioned above states that:

'A femoral or inguinal hernia sometimes causes little trouble'

they can in fact be very large in size, and without upsetting the
sensibilities of members of the list, quite a lot of small intestine
can protrude in uncomfortable and inconvenient places. Having had a
medical examination in September 1914, I would think that a large
hernia would have been noted, but perhaps a naff medical, done in a
hurry, might have excluded removal of trousers. This type of hernia
can be difficult to operate on today, and probably wouldn't have been
touched then.

But even if it was a tiny hernia, once it had become irreducible
[strangulated], there would have been no option other than to have
surgery - this would have been both necessary and life-saving. So if
this man was rejected, and then some months later had surgery for a
strangulated [large or small] hernia, and the surgery was successful,
within three months he could have been perfectly fit again.

Regards
Sue

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