[Notes of a wartime pathologist].

The definition of the most important complications of the gunshot wound (wound sepsis, dystrophy of the wounded) is given on the basis of a retrospective analysis of the pathology data collected during the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. The main conditions of the rise of the wound sepsis are characterized in detail, its dependence upon the severity of the gunshot wound is proven, the examples of a regular distribution of lethal wound sepsis cases in wounds of different localization are presented. It is shown the dystrophy syndrome of the wounded results from the combination of a long-lasting wound infection and grave metabolic disturbances. The latter are attributed to the atrophic and degenerative changes of organs and tissues, primarily those of the alimentary canal, skeletal muscles, subcutaneous fat and neuro-regulatory apparatus. The appearance of such a syndrome depends, not to a lesser extent, on the inadequate nutrition. Thus this syndrome is of an infections-alimentary nature.