3 Review(s)

This joint reissue comprises two works on military medicine, providing instruction on the treatment of ailments common to soldiers, and methods for preventing their occurrence. The title work, written by Charles Alexander Gordon (1821-99) and published in 1873, is followed by A Guide to Health for the Use of Soldiers by fellow surgeon R. C. Eaton (1842-1902), which first appeared in 1890. Intended to be read by infantrymen and officers, both works offer succinct and practical advice on topics ranging from malaria to drunkenness. The texts take slightly different approaches in their presentation of advice: Gordon adopts a crisp and formal style, while Eaton incorporates instructive medical facts in his brief yet fluent explanations. Together, the works provide an effective exposition of problems and practicalities that would assume tremendous significance decades later in the trenches of the First World War.