A Royal Marine CompanyCommander's view of the medicalprovision in the Falklands War

摘要

As we sailed south towards the Falkland Islands andfighting became imminent, first aid training assumed ahitherto unaccustomed edgy potency. We had not yet comeacross the term 'the golden hour' which became currentin Afghanistan, but we understood very well the conceptof the 'platinum ten minutes'. Each company had its ownmedical attendant, and each commando a medical officerbut, long before he could be treated by any qualified medic,a wounded man would depend for his life on his mate'sability to apply a first field dressing or administer a salinedrip. So we concentrated on these, including the analinsertion of the drip, with everybody naturally volunteeringtheir mates for demonstration purposes.