Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:06:32-4:07:15

Why naval doctors needed unusually broad training

Naval surgeons could be called on to treat civilians in port, which gave women's health a practical place in their training.

Azur LaneFiction Azur Lane ShipgirlsNaval MedicineObstetricsRoyal NavyShipboard Life
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Question

Would naval doctors have needed new training in women's health to care for Azur Lane's shipgirls?

Short answer

No. A ship's doctor could already be called on to treat women when the warship supplied the only doctor available in a port.

Notes

A ship's doctor could be the only physician available when a vessel entered harbor. Civilian medical problems could therefore reach the naval surgeon, including those involving women's health. That practical need explains why the fictional premise would not make the subject wholly new to naval medicine. The comparison with American Civil War surgeons connects obstetric knowledge with the care of people around military forces.