Title: War Surgery and Medicine

Author: Stout, T. Duncan M.

Publication details: Historical Publications Branch, 1954, Wellington

Part of: The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945

This text is the subject of: ‘Something of Them Is Here Recorded’: Official History in New Zealand

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Spanish War

During the Spanish War the Winnett Orr treatment was applied to recent war injuries and was attended with such success that it became the standard form of treatment for all fractures as well as for all large gunshot wounds. Trueta described the technique and gave very optimistic reports of its success. He carried out debridement of the wound, left the wound freely open, applied vaselined gauze, and then enclosed the limb, including the joints above and below the site of the fracture, in a closed plaster. The plaster was changed only for cleanliness, for altering the position of the fracture, or when complications arose. There was marked saving in dressings and nursing attention. In the majority of cases no serious infection or toxaemia arose, and the wounds slowly healed under the plaster.