CIVIL WAR MEDICINECIVIL WAR MEDICINE

General Medicine and General Medicine and SurgerySurgery

No one called anyone “doctor,” it No one called anyone “doctor,” it was always “surgeon.”was always “surgeon.”

At the start of the Civil War, the At the start of the Civil War, the Union Army had 98 surgeons; the Union Army had 98 surgeons; the Confederates had 20Confederates had 20

10, 000 surgeons in the Union10, 000 surgeons in the Union 4,000 in the Confederacy4,000 in the Confederacy

MEDICAL TRAININGMEDICAL TRAINING

Doctors attended medical school for Doctors attended medical school for only 3 semesters for 13 weeksonly 3 semesters for 13 weeks

One year of book instruction with a One year of book instruction with a few weeks of training; could repeat few weeks of training; could repeat the year if they failedthe year if they failed

Most doctors were under-qualifiedMost doctors were under-qualified Surgeons were ill-prepared, they Surgeons were ill-prepared, they

learned “on the job;” more people learned “on the job;” more people died as a resultdied as a result

IMPORTANT IDEA IMPORTANT IDEA DEVELOPED DURING THE DEVELOPED DURING THE

WAR:WAR:

Medical Medical personnel were personnel were considered considered “neutrals” and “neutrals” and should not fired should not fired upon or taken upon or taken prisoner.prisoner.

DISEASEDISEASE

Disease killed more soldiers than Disease killed more soldiers than bulletsbullets

2 out of 3 soldiers died from disease2 out of 3 soldiers died from disease Measles, small pox, malaria and Measles, small pox, malaria and

pneumonia, dyssenterypneumonia, dyssentery Mosquitoes carried many diseasesMosquitoes carried many diseases Poor sanitation: rotten food, refuse, Poor sanitation: rotten food, refuse,

excrement, urine, blood and decaying excrement, urine, blood and decaying corpsescorpses

DISEASEDISEASE

Dysentery and Dysentery and diarrhea killed diarrhea killed more soldiers than more soldiers than anything elseanything else

995 out of every 995 out of every 1000 soldiers had 1000 soldiers had chronic diarrheachronic diarrhea

SURGERYSURGERY

Amputations was Amputations was the most common the most common surgery performedsurgery performed

3 out of 4 were 3 out of 4 were amputationsamputations

Minie BallMinie Ball

The minie ball The minie ball could kill up to could kill up to 1000 yards1000 yards

The minie ball The minie ball caused large, caused large, gaping holes and gaping holes and splintered bones, splintered bones, destroyed destroyed muscles, arteries muscles, arteries and tissueand tissue beyond repairbeyond repair

Minie BallMinie Ball

Because the minie ball smashed the Because the minie ball smashed the bone so badly, amputation was the bone so badly, amputation was the only solutiononly solution

When the bullet hit the bone, it When the bullet hit the bone, it expandedexpanded

Those shot through the body or head Those shot through the body or head were not expected to livewere not expected to live

When it hit the “gut” (intestines) it When it hit the “gut” (intestines) it tore it to bitstore it to bits

AmputationsAmputations

10-15 minutes of sawing10-15 minutes of sawing Limbs dropped in a pileLimbs dropped in a pile Amputations saved more lives Amputations saved more lives

than were lost (75% of amputees than were lost (75% of amputees survived)survived)

The closer to the torso an The closer to the torso an amputation occurred, the greater amputation occurred, the greater chance of deathchance of death

Amputations (cont)Amputations (cont)

Surgeries were done quicklySurgeries were done quickly Lack of time and water meant that Lack of time and water meant that

surgeons did not wash their handssurgeons did not wash their hands Bloody surgeon’s fingers would prod Bloody surgeon’s fingers would prod

an open wound and infect patientsan open wound and infect patients Blood poisoning and sepsis (puss in Blood poisoning and sepsis (puss in

the blood) were deadlythe blood) were deadly

ANESTHETICSANESTHETICS

Most operations were performed with an Most operations were performed with an anesthetic. anesthetic.

There were no needles to deliver There were no needles to deliver medicine, morphine was rubbed in the medicine, morphine was rubbed in the wound.wound.

Many soldiers became addicted to Many soldiers became addicted to morphine and opiummorphine and opium

Surgeons placed chloroform on a rag and Surgeons placed chloroform on a rag and placed it over a patient’s mouth/many placed it over a patient’s mouth/many died from chloroform poisoningdied from chloroform poisoning

"In the operating tent, the "In the operating tent, the amputation amputation of a very bad of a very bad looking leg was witnessed. The surgeons had been looking leg was witnessed. The surgeons had been laboring since the battle to save the leg, but it was laboring since the battle to save the leg, but it was impossible. The patient, a delicate looking man, was put impossible. The patient, a delicate looking man, was put under the influence of chloroform, and the amputation under the influence of chloroform, and the amputation was performed with great skill by a surgeon who appeared was performed with great skill by a surgeon who appeared to be quite accustomed to the use of his instruments. to be quite accustomed to the use of his instruments. After the arteries were tied, the amputator scraped the After the arteries were tied, the amputator scraped the end and edge of the bone until they were quite smooth. end and edge of the bone until they were quite smooth. While the scraping was going on, an attendant asked: While the scraping was going on, an attendant asked: 'How do you feel, Thompson?' 'Awful!' was the distinct and 'How do you feel, Thompson?' 'Awful!' was the distinct and emphatic reply. This answer was returned, although the emphatic reply. This answer was returned, although the man was far more sensible of the effects of the chloroform man was far more sensible of the effects of the chloroform than he was of the amputationthan he was of the amputation

TRIAGETRIAGE

Helping only those who have a chance Helping only those who have a chance to surviveto survive

Soldiers wounded in the head or belly Soldiers wounded in the head or belly were left to die.were left to die.

Surgeons would stand over the Surgeons would stand over the operating table for hours without a operating table for hours without a breakbreak

Men screamed in delirium, crying out Men screamed in delirium, crying out for loved ones; others were in shockfor loved ones; others were in shock

DENTISTRYDENTISTRY Soldiers were Soldiers were

turned down if they turned down if they were missing more were missing more than six upper and than six upper and lower teethlower teeth

Soldiers needed Soldiers needed their teeth to bite their teeth to bite off the end of off the end of powder cartridges powder cartridges to load the muzzle to load the muzzle of their rifle. of their rifle.

Mutter Museum

EmbalmingEmbalming

Embalming Embalming became a science became a science during the war: during the war: people wanted people wanted their dead relatives their dead relatives brought home in brought home in recognizable form.recognizable form.

Civil War CasualtiesCivil War Casualties

624,511 624,511 DeadDead 475,881 475,881

WoundedWounded

80,000 80,000 civilians killedcivilians killed 1,500,000 1,500,000

horses killedhorses killed

NursesNurses

Clara Barton – Clara Barton – founded American founded American Red Cross, nursed Red Cross, nursed soldiers from soldiers from AndersonvilleAndersonville

She worked to distribute stores, clean field hospitals, apply dressings, and serve food to wounded soldiers in close proximity to several battles, including Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg.[8]

Clara Barton (cont.)Clara Barton (cont.)

Friend of Susan Friend of Susan B. Anthony & B. Anthony & Frederick DouglasFrederick Douglas

The American The American Red Cross deals Red Cross deals w/ refugees to w/ refugees to natural disasters natural disasters to all warsto all wars

Died at 90 of TBDied at 90 of TB

Dorothea DixDorothea Dix

Superintendent Superintendent of Army nursesof Army nurses

Founded the first Founded the first mental asylums mental asylums for the ‘indigent for the ‘indigent insane’insane’

Only wanted 30-Only wanted 30-50 and plain 50 and plain lookinglooking

“In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impresses that there must be much for me to do.”

Andersonville – CW PrisonsAndersonville – CW Prisons

Largest of all Civil Largest of all Civil War Prisons, and War Prisons, and most deadlymost deadly

 more than 45,000 Union soldiers were confined here. Of these, almost 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure to the elements.

Andersonville - LayoutAndersonville - Layout

Ft Sumner