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[RadGH]

For a long time playing df2010 I've struggled with infection. It got to the point where getting a paper cut was as terrifying as an unarmed worker surrounded by goblin ambushers.

But I did some research before starting this most recent fortress - and got soap made, and the doctors are using it. I also have a well, and plenty of buckets. In fact, the hospital is supplied with everything it needs in the zone screen.

And still, a dwarf dies to infection. It's actually quite embarassing.



A few hours later...



The health screen stated that his wound was cleaned with "Dog Soap".

But he still died of infection? I had all of the supplies ready when the patient arrived, and he was taken to the hospital almost as soon as he obtained the wound. I don't understand.

Why are infections so deadly? They could at least amputate. He died because a single finger became infected.

What else can I do to prevent infection? I read somewhere that a well could become contaminated. How would I check? What can I do to prevent it? Is this caused by well water being dug out in a layer of soil, rather than stone/walls?

[nenjin]

This may have to do with the skills levels of your health care dwarves. I imagine they can fail to clean a wound properly and it still results in infection.

[RadGH]

I guess that would make sense, but I did think of that already. i have five doctors, each one dedicated to the one skill which they have highest level of.

Of course, they aren't legendary, so I suppose that could still be the problem.

Is there any safe way to train doctors, other than causing intentional cave ins on the more useless dwarves?

[Avo]

Beating more useless dwarves with training weapons?

[nenjin]

What kind of skill levels are we talking? I wouldn't think cleaning wounds has any real chance of failure at Adept or whatever. 

And I assume the injury doesn't predate you setting up a functional hospital?

Just out of curiosity, what caused the injury?

[RadGH]

EDIT: Added headers, also my Diagnostician is set as a noble (chief medical dwarf), his skill level is 3.

They probably gained one or two points in something since he died.

He got his hand smashed while fighting a cave crocodile, I think. The combat log for it appears to be gone, the entry just says "No recent announcements". 

Although I would love to tell you it was smashed while making cheese. He was a cheese maker when he was not in the military, as I found in the gamelog.txt (Zuglar Saziriteb has become a Cheese Maker.)

[VonCede]

What else can I do to prevent infection?

Use more luck. Clean water and soap reduce the chance of infection, they don't prevent it.

[Darkmere]

I've seen cases where the infection sets in early, and washing seems to remove it. I've also seen cases were the wound is cleaned, dressed, then becomes infected btu is never cleaned again, then sutured, then the patient reads as healthy, walks to the door and dies.

I'm assuming there's a stat that affects it, but I don't know if that would be disease resistance or quick healing, or something else.

[celem]

I have 5 legendary medical workers, they have insane stockpiles of everything.  I also lose dwarves to puny infections despite immediate treatment.

A) Infection brings the RNG into play, you may just get screwed.

B)Im sure your dwarf's healing speed stat is vital here, with a high start he heals his infection and is up and about, I havent lost a soldier to infection once (since i screen their heal stat).
With a poor healing speed stat infection is almost always a problem despite materials and doctor skills.

Its not a matter of all infected dwarves die, my military still pick em up as often as anyone else, I really think their heal stat is having much of the observable effect

Despite disease resistance being a more logical fit for this it doesnt seem to be the major variable from what ive seen.  (its not a stat I sort on and I havent noticed any pattern related to it)

[Khym Chanur]

According to the wiki articles on infection and wells, water taken from a source that's only one z-level deep will be stagnant, which can cause infections.  You need to create a cistern/reservoir that's at least two levels deep to be the water supply for your hospital.

[malvado]

Infection can also be caused due to long waiting times for a wound to be treated , or a unlucky surgeon.
Personally it seems the medical system is not working right as it should, Doctors are mostly waiting for something to do and once they get a patient they often starts going for a lunch or a drink first...

A few bugs or problems I've seen with the current system :

*Doctors does not really wait around the hospital area.
*Doctors does not have any good way to keep their skills in balance while waiting for patients (skill rot).
*Doctors gives a "dump" about patient priority and even with a fully staffed hospital patients might die due to waiting for diagnosing when several of the staff can do so.
*Theres not enough "diseases" for doctors to keep training / honing their skills without the diseases themselves risking killing off your fort.

[Bognor]

Doctors are mostly waiting for something to do and once they get a patient they often starts going for a lunch or a drink first...

Have you thought much about your doctors' personalities?  I remember a thread where someone said they'd found Sympathy to be crucial to doctors' willingness to get on with the job.  You want an Urist McHouse who is easily moved to pity, not one who is not affected by the suffering of others.  Not sure whether Altruism (the "helping others" trait) makes any difference.

[DeKaFu]

How can you tell if water is stagnant? I made myself a nice well 2 Z-levels deep, but I didn't line it with constructions. Is it stagnant?
Would running it through a pump purify it?

My dwarves have been getting infections like clockwork whenever they're injured, but nobody's died yet. (knock on wood)

[Lord Inquisitor]

does smooth stone vs rough stone make a difference? like in less places for bugs to stay in?

[Khym Chanur]

How can you tell if water is stagnant? I made myself a nice well 2 Z-levels deep, but I didn't line it with constructions. Is it stagnant?

Dig a 1x1 channel somewhere nearby (nearer to the well than any other water source) and designate it as a pond to be filled.  When a dwarf goes to fill it, pause the game after s/he fills up a bucket but before dumping the water into the pond and examine the bucket.  If the water is stagnant, the contents of the bucket will be "stagnant water [10]" with a coating of grime.