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1 July 2016

A major new exhibition into the history of battlefield injuries and how they ushered in ground-breaking medical treatments opened at the Science Museum to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

Blesma members were among guests invited to the opening night of Wounded: Conflict, Causalities and Care that was officially launched by Dame Mary Archer and Falklands War veteran Simon Weston.

Trustees Philip Monkhouse, Colin Rouse and Will Dixon along with Support Officer Paul Findlay toured the exhibition which features early prosthetics and a range of medical innovations to treat casualties.

Curator Stewart Emmens consulted Blesma and met member Mark Ormrod during his exhaustive quest to source early examples of prosthetic arms and legs. A full feature on the exhibition is in the latest edition of the Blesma magazine.

Light metal left Alclad above knee prosthesis, c.Science Museum.JPEG
Light Metal Limb
A Colt's stretcher, British design for use in narrow trenches, 1916, c.ScienceMuseum, SSPL.jpg
WW1 Narrow Stretcher
Splatter mask, 1917, c.Science Museum, SSPL.JPEG
Splatter Mask
Artificial eyes, c.Science Museum, SSPL.JPEG
Set of 50 glass eyes in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes
Artificial arms by Carne Artificial Arm Co, 1915, c.Science Museum, SSPL.jpg
The ‘officer’s arm’
McKay arm and tools.jpg
The McKay Arm
Field surgical pannier, 1914-16c.Science Museum.JPEG
Field Surgical Pannier
Metal right above knee prosthesis, evidence of attempts to repair the socket. c.Science Museum.JPEG
Heavily repaired artifical leg

Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care is free to visit and open from Wednesday 29 June 2016 until early 2018. 


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