What a fascinating guest we had this week – a Military Historian with NO medical training whatsoever and the first guest who was not a healthcare provider. We embarked on an extraordinary journey through the grim but fascinating history of war and its unexpected contributions to modern medicine. My guest was none other than Dr. Tim Cook, the Chief Historian and Director of Research at the Canadian War Museum and author of over 12 books on military history. Together, we delved into how the chaos and carnage of war catalyzed innovations in medical care, forever changing how we treat the sick and wounded.
War: What Is It Good For? Maybe Medical Advancements?
I opened the episode with the tongue-in-cheek question: War, what is it good for? Dr. Cook didn’t shy away from the stark reality. “Absolutely nothing,” he began, echoing Edwin Starr’s famous anti-war anthem—but then he added a twist. War, he explained, is a force of transformation, pushing humanity to innovate in ways we never imagined. Unfortunately, those innovations often emerge from unimaginable suffering.
From the advent of x-rays to breakthroughs in vaccination, blood transfusion, prosthetics, and even facial reconstruction, war has been a brutal, albeit effective, incubator for medical progress. As Dr. Cook put it, “For all of its trauma, death, and destruction, ironically, war was a great environment for medical change.”
The Great War: Medicine Under Fire
The First World War, with its unprecedented scale of violence, was a crucible for medical advancements. Imagine it: 620,000 Canadians served in a nation of just 8 million. Over 66,000 were killed, and 170,000 wounded, many with catastrophic injuries. Canada, like its allies, had no choice but to innovate—or watch its armies disintegrate.
- Blood Transfusions: In 1916, blood transfusion became a battlefield game-changer. Soldiers who might otherwise have died from blood loss were given a fighting chance.
https://www.ted.com/talks/bill_schutt_how_do_blood_transfusions_work/transcript - X-Rays: These cutting-edge machines allowed doctors to locate bullets and shrapnel, saving countless lives.
https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/our-movement/our-history/marie-curie-invisible-light-the-red-cross-and-wwi - Prosthetics: With thousands of amputees returning home, prosthetic technology advanced rapidly, paving the way for modern innovations.
Even the grim realities of trench warfare—like trench foot and trench mouth—led to advances in preventative medicine. Whale blubber on soldiers’ feet? A strange but effective innovation against infections caused by standing in muck for days on end.
Body Snatchers: Medicine’s Macabre Origins
One of the most jaw-dropping revelations of Dr. Cook’s book, Lifesavers and Body Snatchers, was the little-known practice of battlefield autopsies. Canadian doctors were performing these not only to understand wartime injuries but also to bring home organs and tissues for medical study. Yes, you read that right. Hearts, brains, and lungs from fallen soldiers were shipped back to Canada to help future generations of doctors learn.
Was it ethical? Dr. Cook grappled with this question in his research. On the one hand, it advanced medical knowledge. On the other, it clashed with the reverence society held for its “fallen heroes.” It’s a topic as complicated as war itself.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/body-snatching
Mental Wounds: From Shell Shock to PTSD
Dr. Cook also tackled the evolution of how we understand and treat mental trauma. During the Great War, “shell shock” was poorly understood, with some dismissing it as cowardice. Treatment varied wildly, from rest and recuperation to electric shock therapy. Yet even amidst this chaos, seeds of progress were planted.
Fast forward to today, and we now recognize post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a legitimate, treatable condition. But as Dr. Cook pointed out, we still have work to do—especially when it comes to supporting modern veterans returning from conflicts like Afghanistan.
War’s Legacy: Ukraine and the Future of Medicine
We couldn’t ignore the ongoing war in Ukraine, where modern-day medical teams are dealing with challenges not unlike those faced a century ago. From field surgeries to mental health trauma, the lessons of past wars remain relevant. And, just as in the First World War, we’re likely to see unexpected advancements emerge from this conflict—perhaps in areas like drone technology, rapid deployment medical units, or telemedicine.
https://ihpl.llu.edu/blog/impact-war-ukraine-environment-and-health
Lessons for Healthcare (and Life)
Dr. Cook’s parting thoughts resonated deeply: While war is awful, we must learn from its aftermath. For healthcare providers, this means embracing evidence-based practices born from tragedy. For the rest of us, it’s a reminder of human resilience and ingenuity.
So, the next time you gripe about spicy hospital food (we’ve all heard it!), remember the field hospitals of World War I. Soldiers weren’t complaining about a lack of salt in their stew—they were worried about losing limbs to infection or dying from a gunshot wound. Perspective, my friends.
Thanks for Joining Us!
This week’s episode was a powerful reminder that even in humanity’s darkest moments, there are lessons to be learned. A huge thank you to Dr. Tim Cook for joining me on Ditch The Labcoat. Whether you’re a healthcare professional or just a curious history buff, I hope this conversation left you with something to reflect on.
Until next time, keep learning, keep caring, and most importantly, keep ditching the lab coat.
