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History
Key terms
Gas gangrene

GCSE History · key term

Gas gangrene

Definition

A bacterial infection of damaged tissue that causes tissue death and produces gas within the wound; it is not caused by a poison-gas attack.

Used by Edexcel

How each exam board covers it

Edexcel GCSE History · 1HI0

Paper 1

Two particularly serious infections were tetanus and gas gangrene. Tetanus caused severe muscle stiffness and spasms; anti-tetanus injections helped reduce its impact. Gas gangrene caused damaged tissue to die and could spread rapidly, making the wound extremely dangerous.
Revise: Injuries, Illnesses and Gas Attacks

Edexcel History past papers

Related key terms

Brodie helmet
Shell shock
Shrapnel
Tetanus
Trench fever

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Gas gangrene — Edexcel GCSE History Definition | GradeGen

Wound infection