ABSTRACT
Earlier observations showed that a variety of local applications were being used during the routine prevention of pressure sores, none of which had been objectively assessed as superior to the others. In fact, ward sisters had individual preferences. It was decided that until such an assessment was made, there should be no change in the established ward routines and that we should investigate the incidence of pressure sores under existing conditions with the use of traditional procedures. As will be seen we obtained no evidence that the use of the various local applications had any great effect on the incidence of pressure sores, and therefore the analysis which follows can be taken as giving, within broad limits, a picture of the aetiological factors involved.
