The importance of the First World War for Basler surgeons
An open conference entitled «One century of accident surgery» will take place on Friday, 19th January at the university hospital Basel – with fascinating reviews of past surgical methods and a little glimpse into the future. Although Switzerland was spared the horrors of the First World War, especially in the Northwest part of the country, the evidence of war in neighbouring countries was also present in Basel. Particularly with regards to surgery for wounded soldiers and other victims. New methods of warfare with highly developed weaponry challenged surgeons over and over again. The massive deployment of artillery, which also did not spare civilians, created horrific wounds which brought doctors to their absolute limits. Rather cynically, a competition rapidly broke out between cause and effect. Surgeons needed to find quick answers to meet the requirements of warring nations. It is therefore no surprise that medical science in particular made significant progress in those dark times. These successes were also part of the work done by surgeons in Basel. Hermann Ludwig Gelpke from Allschwil, who was head physician of the cantonal hospital in Liestal, worked in a military hospital in Silesia (then Germany). Karl Sebastian Haegler, manager of the bacteriological lab at the Bürgerspital in Basel, was a counsellor and surgeon in military hospitals in Alsace and in southern Baden. Hans Iselin, Basler emergency surgeon and long-term chief of the surgical department of St Clara hospital in Basel, was engaged in diverse German military reserve hospitals. He was especially responsible for successes in emergency surgery. Numerous interned soldiers had their wounds stitched up in Basel's hospitals.
Birth of Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund, SUVA
In 1918, the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (today SUVA), which was founded on the basis of a referendum in February 1912, finally came into effect. A delay of several years had been caused as a consequence of the war. At the same time, prevention became a topic of insurance cover, besides rehabilitation. Also in this era a new subject was founded, against much opposition: emergency medicine. A remarkable coincidence. This all is part of an exciting review at the university hospital – and the view into the future is optimistic. The symposium «One century of accident surgery» which is open to the public, takes place on 19th January at 1.15pm in the large theatre at the Zentrum für Lehre und Forschung, Hebelstrasse 20.