In Case of Wounds

As in other wars, surgeons in World War II have found many new remedies that seem to speed wound healing. Last fortnight a new salve was announced in the Journal of the A.M.A. by Navy Lieut. Clifford Kinnaird Murray and Captain Camille M. Shaar. It is a paste of red cells (left over in plasma production), powdered tragacanth and hexylresorcinol. Doctors have found it helpful in healing chronic ulcers and infected wounds, especially where circulation is poor.

Some other World War II developments: 1) chlorophyll, the green coloring matter of plants, which cut healing time by 25% in two-thirds of the animals it was tried on; 2) high-protein diet; 3) oxalic acid, which makes wounds heal faster than they do with dry dressings alone; 4) onion and garlic paste (TIME, March 13); 5) injections of ACS serum (TIME, Jan. 31), said to cut healing time of serious wounds from six months to one; 6) Marfanil, a new German sulfa-drug, unique because it is uninhibited by the presence of pus; 7) dried thyroid substance which, injected into rats, speeds up metabolism and cuts healing time 11%; 8) vitamins, especially vitamin C; 9) powdered tissue extracts as poultices; 10) many new antiseptics.

Fifty-Fifty. Asked last week whether they use any of these remedies, both Army & Navy medical departments said no: they always wait for National Research Council approval before using anything new; most of the reports involve too few cases to be convincing.

What has cut World War II mortality from wounds to half the World War I figures (present overall wound mortality: 4.1%) is the growing practice of relying not so much on salves as on the healing properties of the tissue beneath. Every effort is made to treat wounds within the first "golden" six hours (evacuation by airplane helps this), limiting treatment to careful surgery, cleansing and removal of dead tissue, a sprinkling with sulfanilamide or powdered penicillin to discourage bacteria, a splint or plaster bandage to keep the injured tissue still.

Most wounds (exceptions: head and face, chest, abdomen) are left open for the first few days. If gauze is used, it has vaseline on it to prevent sticking. Plasma is given to prevent shock and restore blood pressure to normal. Shots of serums, sulfa or penicillin (50% of the wounded now get it) are given to build up blood resistance against bacteria.

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