A brief history of thermal wound care

The achievements of our ancestors, starting from the subjugation of fire and the exploration of new areas with extreme climate, increased the risk of exposure to high and low temperatures. The article describes the techniques of frostbite and burn dressings used throughout history: from the times of the ancient civilizations of the east and west to the present day. It draws attention to the process that medicine has undergone from purely local actions, based on magical practices through the gradual improvement of methods based on scientific theories that have appeared over the centuries. The development of treatment techniques and new dressing materials have contributed to the remarkable progress that has occurred in the field of thermal wound care. The authors intended to present the history of wound healing techniques that have been used to treat the effects of extreme temperatures on the human body. This work also aims to point out that the discovery of current methods took many centuries and was the result of the efforts of doctors who, despite the turmoil of war, used innovative methods to save the lives and health of patients.