By Cheryl Carver, LPN, WCC, CWCA, CWCP, DAPWCA, FACCWS, CLTC – Wound Educator
As a veteran of the U.S. Army, and having a grandfather who was a U.S. Army combat medic, I have always had an interest in combat wound care. Wound care has evolved immensely throughout the years in the military arena. The treatments used as far back as the fifth century B.C. were inconceivable. Examples are keeping wounds dry, wound irrigation with water and wine, burning oil into infected wounds, and topicals such as egg yolks, rose oil, and turpentine applied to the wound bed. Odor was controlled with bags of lavender at the soldier’s bedside.
