Sphagnum Moss

Sphagnum Moss

Botany,Natural History,Photography

Sphagnum moss is the collective term for numerous different species of peat moss which carpet marches, heaths, and moors around the world. Sphagnum moss has been used for at least 1,000 years to help heal wounds, although it was during the First World War that scientists began to fully understand its medical potential.

St Andrews processed large quantities of Sphagnum moss. The moss grew on moors near Mount Melville, and the Boy Scouts collected and delivered the moss to households in the town to be dried. The semi-dried moss was them passed on to a body of nearly 100 volunteer “pickers”, who would remove any unwanted vegetation and prepare the moss to become a medical dressing. These “pickers” were mostly women, and they initially operated out of the War Hospital Supply Depot. The Depot was formed in 1915 by a Mrs Gilbert Wilson and was based in her home, however that soon became impractical. Eventually, the University lent Upper College Hall to the Depot to produce Sphagnum dressings, while the depot also had a branch at St Leonards School.

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