title: The reminiscences of a plastic surgeon during World War II.
abstract: The experiences of the author while an Officer in the South African Medical Corps are related. During the battle of Britain he was attached to the R.A.M.C. and observed the work of pioneers in modern military plastic surgery. On his return to South Africa, he set up the Brenthurst Military Red Cross Hospital for Plastic Surgery and dealt with many thousands of allied battle casualties--South African, British, French, and Polish. The injuries treated included aircraft and tank burns, facial destructions (particularly the nose and eyes), extensive facial fractures, and limb amputations. Various procedures are mentioned. The first plastic surgical journal in English, The Brenthurst Papers, was produced describing these innovations.
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe; D049673:History, 20th Century; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000266:history*; D013019:South Africa; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000266:history*