TREATMENT OF BURNS AND OTHER WAR INJURIES IN RAF HOSPITALS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: TREATMENT OF BURNS AND OTHER WAR INJURIES IN RAF HOSPITALS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: AMY 932
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Extensive and detailed medical record of the treatment of mostly young Royal Air Force airmen suffering from severe burns, fractures and diseases, and some off-duty glimpses of the doctors and nurses who treated them, provides unusually raw evidence of war injuries.
  • Description: Reel 1: (1939 US Kodak stock) Snow-covered grounds of RAF Hospital Ely [built 1939-1940 in International Modern Style], with military and RAF ambulances parked outside, and RAF doctors, nurses and matrons looking at the camera. Then a medical instructional record, with titles, describing symptoms and treatment of RAF airmen suffering from severe burns, badly fractured spine, Vincent's Angina, Gonococcal Psoriasis, RAF Hospital Halton sequence showing RAF and British Army medical officers relaxing in grounds with female company, von Recklinghausen's Disease and plating of shaft of radius and ulna. Detailed views of patients' conditions and surgeons using hand drills, cutting, stitching and bandaging, and looking cheerfully at the camera. Reel 2: (1939 US Kodak stock - three separately boxed short sequences, now compiled on one reel) Unbandaging of open wound on man's arm fracture (Winnett Orr treatment, according to box marking) and redressing wound. Film on spool marked "Burns, Ely" shows severe burns on hands and back of RAF airman, with pattern of Mae West visibly burnt onto skin. Older man with tattoos and strong muscles moves his arms; final sequence shows well dressed woman in maroon jacket posing with cigarette in wintry countryside, then brief view of elderly RAF Wing Commander medical officer wearing spectacles (Cato?). Reel 3: (1940 US Kodak stock) "Excavating grounds of RAF Hospital, Wroughton" [built 1939-1942]. Caterpillar tractor and crane level ground; RAF medical officers relax in grounds, and nurses pass. Then a medical instructional record, with titles, illustrating various fractures and their surgical repair using drills and other instruments, concluding with pre-and post-operative x-rays. Reel 4: (1940 US Kodak stock) Medical instructional record, with titles, shows surgical treatment of displaced internal malleolus on patient's leg and case of Kala-Azar (contracted in Malta). Then off-duty scenes on airfield, where planes take off, and in grounds where medical officers relax, scything and sweeping the grass. One RCAF doctor wears Canada shoulder flash. View of main hospital building and tower. Reel 5: (1942 UK Kodak stock) Medical instructional record, without titles, shows young RAF airmen suffering from severe burns to various parts of the body, lying in hospital and in saline baths, and possibly showing the healing of wounds after treatment. Brief portrait shot at end of smiling matron. Reel 6: (1942 UK Kodak stock) Preface to a medical instructional record warns RAF airmen "All air crew personnel should wear GLOVES, helmet, goggles and oxygen masks when taking off or landing and then what you are about to see would not bloody well happen". Very severely burnt young airmen lie in saline baths. Grafting of skin removed by hand saw from undamaged area of patient to burnt patch is shown in detail. Skin is grafted onto amputated stump of leg, and to the severely contracted neck of a patient.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: Colour
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: AMY 932
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (AMY 932)
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1941
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details:
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 16mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 6 Footage: Colour; Running time: 60 mins ca
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    AMY 932

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    2005-11-16 () CT 2721 (ROYAL AIR FORCE MEDICINE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR - TREATMENT OF BURNS) CT 2722 (ROYAL AIR FORCE MEDICINE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR - TREATMENT OF BURNS) CT 2723 (ROYAL AIR FORCE MEDICINE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR - TREATMENT OF BURNS) CT 2724 (ROYAL AIR FORCE MEDICINE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR - TREATMENT OF BURNS) CT 2725 (ROYAL AIR FORCE MEDICINE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR - TREATMENT OF BURNS)
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