Trench Foot
Trench Foot affected men on both sides of the line. After a few weeks the limb would return to normal in most cases, but some severe ones that became gangrenous could result in amputation, with all the complications that went with that, some of those that did recover would have nerve damage.
How did they get Trench Foot?
Poor fitting boots that restricted the circulation, not moving, also when the men were in the trenches there was a lot of water so when they would walk around in the trench all day long in the same boots their feet would get wet and soggy and it would turn into this, Trench Foot.
Shell Shock
Shell Shock is a term that was used to describe the psychological trauma suffered by men serving on the war's key battlefronts. Men that saw things happen came to show the symptoms of shell shock. At first, the victims of shell shock were believed to be suffering from the direct physical effects of shell blasts.
Some Symptoms were ranged from intensity. Some where moderate panic attacks which made the men to run from the battlefield. The men were then sent home to recover. Some even felt the effects for years after the war.
Treatment was primitive at best and dangerous at worst. Pretty much you just got better as time went on.
After the war, there were about 80 thousand cases of shell shock from one British Army
Trench Fever
First reported in the trenches of the Western Front in 1914. Trench fever grew throughout the war. Trench Fever attacked all soldiers until the last year of the war. Symptoms of this disease were headaches, skin rashes, inflamed eyes, and leg pains. However this diseases symptoms cleared within five to six days. In 1918 doctors came to the conclusion that this disease was cause by lice in the trenches.
Rat Infestation
Two main types, the brown rat and the black rat. The brown rat was the one that was despised the most. They would gorge themselves on human remains such as their eyes and their livers. These rats could grow to the size of cats. The men did all they could to try to get rid of the rat infestation but a rat could produce up to 900 offspring in a year! These rats spread infections and contaminated the soldiers food.
