Archibald mcindoe biography of mahatma

The Archive of the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, which includes the patient case files and research records of Sir Archibald McIndoe and his teams, is of national and international importance. During the Second World War this hospital was the centre for the treatment of the Allied Air Crews, who with good humour described themselves as the medical Guinea Pig Club.

Having experienced various military rehabilitation regimes I recall that the regime of Sir Archibald McIndoe and his skilled and caring colleagues was unique in combining the highest quality medical skills with making you feel that you were a special individual who could despite your disabilities go out and re-conquer your brave new world.

It was pain one day and productive pleasure the next. But it was tightly disciplined. He set out both to repair physical damage and to reinvigorate the mind. The Guinea Pig Club was a vital, and highly successful, part of the process.

Archibald mcindoe biography of mahatma: This book is a compilation

The surgeon, the hospital and the club are now part of medical history. McIndoe had noted that airmen who had suffered burns and had come down at sea had a much better rate of recovery than those who had crashed on land. This observation led to the introduction of regular warm saline baths as part of the treatment programme at Queen Victoria Hospital.

The baths helped to encourage granulation and kept the wounds flexible, improving the outcome for patients. As the photograph demonstrates, saline baths could also be used to help remove dressings.