Medical Treatment During The Second Boer War - Implications in Recovery

Implications in Recovery

In the early battles of the war, the recovery team carrying stretchers would walk onto the battlefield in the firing zone as soon as a man was wounded and carry him off. Soldiers participating in the battle would also help. However, in doing so this reduced the numbers in active battle and the Boers soon gained a reputation for rapid firing at any moving person, soldier or paramedic. As a result, being wounded in the war and recovery was seriously affected, often forcing the casualties to be retrieved after dusk, meaning they had either died or could not be located very easily in the dark.

During the early weeks of the war, the Boers were reported to be using poisoned bullets which worsened the infection of British soldier wounds. Although the rifles used in the war were not intended to inflict massive damage, the Boers used German Mauser rifles which were known for creating clean wounds. However the bullets they used, known commonly as "Dum-dums" were made from a soft lead which would expand upon impact or were modified by cutting through the outer case of a normal bullet to affect the way the opposing army was wounded. Boer bullets retrieved from wounded soldiers in the battlefields were often found to contain a green fat coating, which had been used to lubricate the chamber and rifle barrel.

However, many wounded in battle that survived, described the wounds inflicted by the Boers as painless initially but would increase in pain gradually. Many described the experience as being "tapped with a hammer" or "being less painful than the drawing of a tooth". However, many suffered considerably. One British Sergeant shot during the Siege of Ladysmith described the wounding as follows: