Here, we chronicle the evolution of warfare from antiquity to modern times (18th century) and its impact on the later-to-be-defined field of neurology, especially with regard to brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve injuries and neurological disorders caused by biological weapons and psychological trauma. We describe how individuals courageously and intelligently dealt with the horrors of war, from the Egyptians to the Greeks and onward to the Romans, up until the physicians of modern times. In doing so, they responded to the call of duty by inventing solutions that benefitted not only soldiers but also civilian medicine.
© 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.