During times of war, disaster and plague, the earliest form of stretchers down the centuries were simply found items like farm gates, doors or flat bed carts. Anything that could suitably support an injured person and transport them to safety and care was viable.
The mass wars of the 19th century, along with an increase in work related injuries resulting from the Industrial Revolution led to a need for better health care for the wounded. The Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War and particularly the Battle of Solferino led to the creation of the Red Cross and the St John’s Ambulance Brigade. The latter organisation pushed forwards with the development of the standard stretcher and it was John Furley who is credited with the first recognisable stretcher.
This used the most lightweight and durable materials available at the time, namely wood and canvas. A strong canvas support was attached to two poles that had foldable legs to create a temporary bed for victims when they were put on the ground.
Canvas then played the next important role in stretcher developments, firstly with the Lowmoor Jacket for raising casualties from underground or through confined spaces and crawl ways. The Neil Robertson and Stokes stretchers were to utilise the Japanese techniques of hammock construction to create the ribbed and quilted canvas stretchers widely used during both world wars. Their design, even today is still influential on modern stretcher construction.
Basket stretchers were the next logical development with tubular or metal rods welded together to make a safe, cocoon like structure that protected the injured person and made transporting them over rough terrain or raising and lowering them straightforward. These lightweight metal baskets were also easier to transport and more secure than the standard stretcher.
Aluminium became the metal of choice for fabricating stretchers due to is lightweight, yet sturdy properties. Although hard woods were still used on rescue stretchers that had skids attached to aid their passage over rock and frozen ground. Welded aluminium tubing also doesn’t suffer from rusting, so makes it a more reliable metal, especially on stretchers deployed in treacherous landscapes or watery rescues.
Modern plastics were the most recent developments to revolutionise stretcher design and strong, resilient polycarbonate skids allow for comfortable basket stretchers to be manufactured. These are moulded and provide support for the casualty while durable modern webbing secures them tightly into the stretcher during their recovery.
These modern materials have revolutionised stretchers with 21st century technology creating the likes of the Paraguard stretcher, compact, light and adaptable or the scoop stretcher that avoids unnecessary movement and disturbance to the patient. Nowadays there is a stretcher suitable for every occasion, environmental condition and temperature range possible.
AUTOPOST by BEDEWY VISIT GAHZLY
