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Battlefield Medicine in T2k

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  • #16
    I read an account of POW medicine in the far east during WW2. All too often, doctors were forced to stand by and watch prisoners die of wounds or disease for lack of medicines or material to do what they knew needed to be done. The medicine was often amazing, including reading about a British Army surgeon performing a successful appendectomy on a hell ship at sea without benefit of anything other than improvised and salvaged instruments and a sedative derived from dental novocaine injected into the spine. The same doctors eventually organized a prison hospital that treated guards and Japanese workers on a quid pro quo of care for supplies. I'd imagine surviving surgeons and medical units in 2000 may be in similar circumstances.

    One thing from all POW stories was the dramatic effect of field sanitation, hygiene, and the best possible diet under the circumstances in preventing illness. I'd imagine a major effort to be made by all sides to proactively attack the common vectors of illness in cantonments or static positions. Bleach, lye and carbolic soap, activated charcoal, vinegar, iodine, and diethyl ether or their precursors are some of the eventually sustainable medical commodities that will be valuable salvage or trade. Alternatively, as raw material, infrastructure, and labor are available production can be organized. That said, it's probably wishful thinking to assume that even the previously mentioned commodities will appear overnight. The danger point may come as modern supplies run low and begin to be exhausted and the decision has not been made to adopt earlier technologies. People will likely die as supplies are rationed and harsh triage is implemented who could have been saved a few years down the road.

    Absent this there's a whole separate discussion on the usages, acquisition, and supply of cocaine, marijuana, heroin and morphine, etc during the post twilight era. The already widespread cultivation of poppies for ornamental and seed uses may be repurposed as sources of opium and processed into laudanum. This practice was common and encouraged in the American South during the Civil War when supplies were short, it could easily come back into vogue.
    Last edited by Homer; 12-27-2023, 02:09 PM.

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    • #17
      Agonizing Choice

      Unfortunately, this piece supports the amputation hypothesis presented in post #15.

      Gaza's more than 54,500 war-wounded include a growing number of amputees who face hard choices and challenges as they try to survive in a war zone.


      -
      Author of Twilight 2000 adventure modules, Rook's Gambit and The Poisoned Chalice, the campaign sourcebook, Korean Peninsula, the gear-book, Baltic Boats, and the co-author of Tara Romaneasca, a campaign sourcebook for Romania, all available for purchase on DriveThruRPG:

      https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product...--Rooks-Gambit
      https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product...ula-Sourcebook
      https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product...nia-Sourcebook
      https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product...liate_id=61048
      https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/...-waters-module

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      • #18
        What happens to casualties after a battle Is it a case of treat everyone as you can because you may need the reciprocal favor one day, treat yours leave the rest, maybe even a ceasefire ti recover casualties And what about the ones who cant be moved; do you pay the locals and hope for the best

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        • #19
          Originally posted by Homer View Post
          What happens to casualties after a battle Is it a case of treat everyone as you can because you may need the reciprocal favor one day, treat yours leave the rest, maybe even a ceasefire ti recover casualties And what about the ones who cant be moved; do you pay the locals and hope for the best
          I think that's really going to depend on the size and resources of a group. By 2001 large set piece battles are going to be rare. When they happen it'll be because the belligerents think they are prepared for it which presumes they would have some sort of medical support lined up even if that means horse drawn MASH setup.

          Any large group preparing for combat would be focused on getting not just food, ammo, and POL for the effort but for medical supplies to handle the after effects of battle. Pre-combat preparations would include cooking up purer ethanol, sterilizing bandages for dressings, and generally stocking up on what field medics and MASHes would need.

          When it's a small group like PCs getting into a fight they couldn't avoid, medical care very likely means enlisting (by some means) local civilians. Getting that medical help can be a whole adventure seed in itself like getting some supplies/resources the town doctor needs to treat the wounded comrade(s).

          Another adventure seed is the PCs moving into a new area and setting up contacts with locals. Getting in their good graces so they can ask them for medical help later would be an important thing to always keep in mind. Roughing them up for some food today might mean they're shit out of luck in a week when they need one of their buddies patched up by the local doctor.

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