Civil War Medicine

At the beginning…….. At the beginning of the Civil War, the U.S. Army had a medical corps consisting of all of 98 surgeons and assistant surgeons

Equipment: The Corps had about 20 clinical thermometers, and didn't have a "modern" microscope until 1863.

What really killed them? Gangrene, blood poison, was the number one killer during the Civil War A soldier’s chance of survival was only one in four

What killed people? Of the 618,000 fatalities of the Civil War, some 2/3 (approximately 414,000) were the result of disease. Typhoid, dysentery or diarrhea, malaria, measles, sexually- transmitted diseases, pnuemonia, scurvy and other ailments killed more soldiers, North and South, then musket, cannon or saber.

Everyone was called a surgeon, nobody was consider to be a physician

Great Idea! Medical personnel could not be taken prisoner, fired upon, and were considered neutrals during the war

This scares me……. Doctors only attended 3 semesters or 13 weeks of medical school. Medical schools were all over during the Civil War period.

The Mini Ball Bacteria was usually carried into the wound, making it worse. After an operation, they thought it good if pus formed. They called it "laudable pus," when really the pus was a sign of massive bacterial infection.

Minnie Ball and Muskets

Embalming Embalming became a science during the Civil War, as many families wanted their dead relatives' body brought back from the war.

Amputations Most common surgery, 3 of 4 surgeries were amputations Amputations, cutting off a limb Only option if injured on a limb

The process… Performed on an old door Rag with chloroform to sedate the patient Myth that most surgeries were performed without anesthesia

Steps: Blood supply cut off with a tourniquet Hacksaw like took called a capital saw, bonesaw “Sawbones” Curved needles and silk sutures in the North Cotton sutures in the South

15 minutes….. Limbs were piled up and emptied at the end of the day Entire process took no more than 15 minutes Term “Bite the Bullet” coined during the Civil War

Pain Killers Morphine was the most widely used pain killer Very addictive, many soldiers returned home addicted to opium

Three categories of wounds… Mortally wounded Slightly wounded Surgical cases

Different Bullet Wounds accompanied by Flies and Maggots

Everyone wasn’t treated…. Soldiers wounded through the head, belly, or chest were left to one side because they would most likely die.

Ambulance Patients were transported to nearby hospitals if possible

Jonathan Letterman Developer of the ambulance that was primarily a covered wagon

Medical Facilities Usually in a barn or tent Close to the fighting

Red Cross Founder was Clara Barton Concerned about the welfare of all soldiers

Elizabeth Blackwell First woman doctor in this country

Medical Kit Very basic, Only had a few instruments and tools