inoculation during training in UK

[Moonraker]

I've looked at previous references in the Forum to inoculation and have come across allusions to it in my own researches, but I need to "tighten up" my notes on it as applied to recruits training in the UK.

1. What exactly what was the jab against: tetanus? typhoid? (I've noticed conflicting references.)

2. Was it given at any particular time during the training?

3. Was the jab followed by a day or two of light or no duties? (I gather some soldiers suffered a bad reaction.)

Thanks

Moonraker

[Simon R]

'For the past week or so the men have been undergoing inoculation, and only a very small percentage are taking advantage of their option to refuse to 'bare the shoulder'. In most cases the process is gone through twice. Half the quantity is inserted on the first occassion, and the men are then relieved of duties for a day or two. At the end of ten days they receive the remaining quantity and are then allowed a 48 hours furlough'

'The battalion is rapidly approaching the time when it will be called upon to go on active service. Each man has now received his equipment, although the new service rifles have not yet been served out....'

12th KOYLI (Miners btn.) at Farnley Camp 22nd January 1915, Wharfedale and Airedale Oberserver.

[Chris Henschke]

1. Mixed Typhoid, Paratyphoid A, and Paratyphoid B Vaccines. Two injections were given at an interval of eight to ten days, the first dose being 0.5 c.c. and the second 1.0 c.c.

(In August 1914, in conformity with the usual procedure by which troops were not inoculated against enteric fever until they were proceeding on service abroad, only a small proportion of the troops forming the expeditionary force was protected by inoculation at the time war was declared. Eventually,after the force arrived in France the proportion of inoculated men exceeded 90 per cent.

In January 1915 inoculation with triple vaccine was adopted as a routine for all British expeditionary forces. re-inoculation was performed as a routine measure after an interval of from eighteen months to two years.)

2. Cholera Inoculation.

(During the war, in addition to the areas, Mesopotamia and Sinai, in which cholera actually occured among the troops, anti-cholera inoculation was carried out on a large scale on the Salonika front, so that by the end of March 1915, in a large proportion of the units, 90 per cent. of officers and men were inoculated.)

Chris Henschke

[charlesmessenger]

Worth reiterating the point that innoculation was not compulsory in Britain throughout the war not least thanks to a vociderous campaign against it by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. Consequently soldiers had to be persuaded to be jabbed. Remarkably an overall 90 per cent were innoculated, which ties in with Chris H's figure for Salonika.

Charles M

[PhilB]

Every time I had a jab in the army, it was given at midday Saturday and we had 36 hours excused duties. As it was weekend, there were usually no duties anyway! Phil B

[Mike Cross]

From 'A Young Volunteer'.

"I cycled to Charlbury to see my girlfriend .... but she didn't seem the same. My brother told me she was fond of a boy in the factory. It didn't upset me .... Her sister was courting George Crump. He was in the Artillery. He sent me a letter telling me he would soon be backing me up in France, but he died after being vaccinated. He was a Chilson boy."

The author was with OBLI 5th Batt. Crump was RGA.

[PhilB]

Never knew anyone who died of it! We had one guy who was really ill and came up in greenish blisters over half his body area. They left him in his bed in the billet and people from all over the camp came in to gawp at him. He was OK in a week or so. Phil B

[IanA]

Mike - could anyone with the surname 'Crump' be in anything else except heavy artillery?

Ian

[Greg Bloomfield]

Prior to deploying on Op Granby in 1990 we were all trooped off to the sick bay for a jab. I seem to recall that it was still in the experimental stage but was supposed to counter anthrax and bubonic plague (I'm sure I'm correct in this) that good old Saddam was supposed to have shed loads of. Anyway, the scab lifter told us when we got there that this was purely on a voluntary basis but we all queued up anyway. The first bloke keeled over and the second was supported to a chair. No takers after that.

After the conflict many people voiced the opinion that this jab was a contributary factor towards Gulf War Syndrome, but as it doesn't exist, it couldn't have been. Could it.

Greg

[Moonraker]

Thanks to all; my notes are now "tightened up". Actually my enquiry was prompted by a message on a postcard sent from Windmill Hill Camp, Wiltshire, in July 1915. The sender was "feeling very well " after inoculation, with just a little stiffness, and he was "off duty today". He would have been at Windmill Hill at the same time as Evelyn Southwell, whose letters from the camp are on very recent posts:

 

(No clue as to who the postcard sender was and to which unit he belonged.)

Moonraker