Triangular bandage, printed with illustrations of bandage use.
Published / Created:
Great Britain : St. John Ambulance Association, approximately 1920.
Physical Description:
1 printed bandage : linen ; 144 x 69 cm
Collection:
Rare Books and Manuscripts
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Related Content:
View catalog record for a printed sheet of instructions on use of the bandage
http://hdl.handle.net/10079/bibid/13232518
Classification:
Prints
Notes:
Bandages such as this were introduced as a way to quickly communicate critical information in an emergency, and first came to prominent use on the battlefield, a lightweight, practical and potentially lifesaving accessory for any soldier. Originally invented in Switzerland, the triangular bandage was popularized by Friederich von Esmarch (1823-1908), Surgeon General of the German Army during the Franco-Prussian war. Able to be folded in multiple configurations, the triangular bandage served to cover injuries on nearly any part of the body as well as serve as an arm sling. They later found use in industrial and manufacturing environments, with early examples including scenes of what to do in medical emergencies, for example in mines, or on board ships. By the early twentieth century, first-aid organizations in England, including the British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance Association, produced their own versions of the instructional triangular bandage.
Subject Terms:
St. John Ambulance Association. | First aid in illness and injury. | Bandages and bandaging. | World War, 1914–1918 -- Medical care -- Great Britain.
