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New Zealand Medical Services in Middle East and Italy

Infection in Wounds

Infection in Wounds

This was not very prevalent during the campaign, due undoubtedly to the early and efficient surgery. There was some increase when Tunisia was entered. An indication of the value of surgical treatment was given when considerable sepsis was found to be present in large numbers of slight wounds sustained by Italian prisoners of war admitted to our medical units some days after wounding.

Some increase in gas infection was noted in Tunisia, many infections being of the anaerobic cellulitis type. Few serious cases of gas page 460 gangrene were seen apart from injury to the main vessels. About 60 per cent of forty-four cases reported by Major J. D. MacLennan, RAMC, had serious vascular damage. Infection by an anaerobic streptococcus was noted in eight cases, of which five died.