So in the 19c German historian, FH Frolich, decided to figure out all the military casualties & their survivability/fatality stats in Homer’s Iliad, partly to understand the Greek understanding of military medicine.
Turns out you prob wanted to be hit by an arrow, def not spear
Turns out you prob wanted to be hit by an arrow, def not spear
Out of 147 wounds mentioned, 77.6% (114) were fatal, w/largest # by spear (106), swords (17), arrows (12), slings (12). Only arrow wounds had mortality rate < 50%, perhaps why name for person caring for wounds, iatros, is rooted in old Ionian word meaning “extractor of arrows”
Given how Patroculus cares for arrow wound in Eurypylus’ thigh, etc, pretty clear care of wounded was in the hands of individual warriors & their servants.
But you know who gets credit for organizing 1st military medical corps in any Western army?
Alexander the Great.
But you know who gets credit for organizing 1st military medical corps in any Western army?
Alexander the Great.
So Alex the G had learned from his Pop Philip that wagons were a crap idea when trying to conquer the world bc they really slowed the army down. But he had looong deployments (in miles & years) & had a care for morale & troop loyalty so he attempted to organize some 🏥 services
For officers & troops on active duty. (Also, really hard to replace his troops from so far away).It was super small even by Rome Imperial Army standards=7 physicians for >40,000 troops.
But savvy soft power alert! Too-wounded soldiers discharged in place to help Hellenize
But savvy soft power alert! Too-wounded soldiers discharged in place to help Hellenize
Greeks were 1st to use tourniquets to stop bleeding, but they didn’t know how to stop bleeding once removed! (It was the Romans who developed a successful tie-off technique for arteries). But most important thing Greeks did for medicine was to differentiate medicine from religion
They had terrible idea abt “laudable puss” but smarts abt “wound washes”, esp wine & vinegar ones.
Apparently, the polyphones in Greek wine are 33X more powerful a bactericide than Joe Lister’s phenols one 1865.
Only 1 thing to do abt that
Apparently, the polyphones in Greek wine are 33X more powerful a bactericide than Joe Lister’s phenols one 1865.
Only 1 thing to do abt that
Oh and to bring this full-circle, Alex the Great was just the 1st in a long line to think he was Achilles Reborn.
He never went into battle without copies of The Iliad & The Odyssey.
He never went into battle without copies of The Iliad & The Odyssey.
