Packet of two field dressings, London, England, 1940
Soldiers of nearly all the nations involved in the First World War would be expected to carry a so-called First Field Dressing, or an equivalent. This was a basic emergency kit containing a length of gauze, a small bandage pad, a safety pin and an ampoule of iodine (later replaced by a mild antiseptic). It was intended to provide immediate first aid
Object number:
1981-1578 Pt1
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: ampoule
A sealed glass or plastic capsule containing one dose of a drug in the form of a sterile solution for injection.
Glossary: antiseptic
A chemical that destroys or holds back the growth of bacteria and harmful micro-organisms. It can be used to cleanse skin wounds and treat some internal infections if it is sufficiently non-toxic.
Glossary: field dressing
A type of bandage carried by soldiers for immediate use in case of wounds.