Devonshire Hospital Buxton

Rheumatic soldiers are treated with the latest in hydrotherapy at the Devonshire Hospital in Buxton, Derbyshire.

Buxton has a long history of remedial treatment thanks to its natural mineral springs. In 1858 the Buxton Bath Charity opened a new hospital in the Duke of Devonshire's magnificent former stables. By 1916 the hospital boasted the latest thermal bath equipment, tested in this film by troops returning from WWI battlefields. We see soldiers massaged with water jets to relieve muscle and joint pain.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that debilitating rheumatic disorders were rife, particularly among soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches. The intention of this newsreel item was presumably to reassure the audience that 'our boys' were getting the best possible treatment using modern methods and equipment.