Medicine In The Civil War

The Growth of Medicine in the American Civil War The Civil War brought change to American medical care due to troubles soldiers faced on the battlefield. The camps and battlefields were ridden with, poor sanitation, tight quarters, and many contagious and infectious diseases for which there was no immunization. 200,000 soldiers died of battle injuries, however, diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, small pox, and malaria, made up ⅔ of the casualties in the war. (Dixon). In addition, there was no way to transport the sick and the wounded, and with poor surgical techniques many lost their lives. “The organization of medical care when the war began was centered on the role of individual physicians rather than systems of care designed to
Furthermore, first aid was provided on the field or in regimental hospitals where the quality of care was poor because of unsanitary conditions and incompetent surgeons who lacked accreditation. (Paciorek). These harsh conditions as well as lack of preparation and knowledge triggered the implementation of better medical care. Medical advances made out of necessity in the Civil War prompted more effective medical practices, the legacy of which can be seen today. Even though injuries and casualties were expected, neither side was prepared to deal with them nor had much knowledge to treat them until later in the war. The poor preparation of the war was evident in the beginning when both armies struggled to efficiently tend to and transport their wounded, inadvertently sacrificing more lives to mere disorganization. (Dixon). At the beginning of the conflict, physicians had never treated a gunshot wound, and few were experienced in evaluating and treating the injuries of war. Although the physicians lacked training, the methods and procedures used were in many ways considered to be substandard. Uneducated physicians were not the
The injuries in battle were brutal and painful, leaving soldiers with open wounds that would most likely become infected. The cause of these wounds was from artillery like minie balls (a 58 caliber slug) that caused the bones to splinter and shatter. The wound was often fatal if in the head, chest, or abdomen, while if in the extremities it usually required surgery. (Paciorek). The means to treating a soldier injured on the battlefield followed a system. When a soldier was wounded in battle he would make his way back to the field/regimental infirmary, or it would be up to the medical personnel to carry him back by litter (a stretcher). In the regimental hospital, the initial treatment was to stop bleeding, splint broken bones, and administer pain relievers. Treatments to stop bleeding consisted of lint and tourniquets, while pain relievers consisted of alcohol and chloroform. (Paciorek). Following these questionable treatments, a surgeon would decide if the wound was treatable, which if it was, surgery was the course of action. These surgeons gained knowledge and experience through constant practice leading them to make integral discoveries. “Due to the enormous number of wounded, the Civil War Surgeons became proficient at performing amputations. In many cases the amputation would be performed in 10 minutes. Surgeons, along