How did they treat injuries in the Civil War?

This last duty was important, since 95 percent of operations performed during the Civil War were done with the patient under some form of anesthesia, usually chloroform or ether. The most common amputation sites on the body were the hand, thigh, lower leg, and upper arm.

What were doctors like during the Civil War?

There were about 55,000 physicians in the United States at the start of the Civil War; most were poorly trained. There were no correct theories of disease and no adequate specific general therapies, except quinine for malaria, opiates for pain and vaccination against smallpox.

Why did battlefield doctors amputate extremities of wounded soldiers?

These amputations were done by cutting off the limb quickly—in a circular-cut sawing motion—to keep the patient from dying of shock and pain. Remarkably, the resulting blood loss rarely caused death. Surgeons often left amputations to heal by granulation.

Did doctors wash their hands during the Civil War?

Many of the doctors serving during the Civil War had very little training and the training they did receive wasn’t very good. Doctors were unaware of how diseases spread. They didn’t wash their hands or clean their medical instruments between surgeries. The biggest concern for the wounded was infection.

How did they do amputations in the Civil War?

During an amputation, a scalpel was used to cut through the skin and a Caitlin knife to cut through the muscle. The surgeon then picked up a bone saw (the tool which helped create the Civil War slang for surgeons known as “Sawbones”) and sawed through the bone until it was severed.

Why was medical care so bad during the Civil War?

More Americans died in the Civil War than in all other wars combined. Medical care was heavily criticized in the press throughout the war. It was stated that surgery was often done without anesthesia, many unnecessary amputations were done, and that care was not state of the art for the times.

What did hospitals look like during the Civil War?

Civil War field hospitals were horrible places. They were typically set up in barns or homes nearby the battlefield. They quickly became dirty places full of disease and suffering. Sometimes there wasn’t enough room for all the wounded and they were just lined up on the ground outside.

What percentage of surgeries performed by doctors in the Civil War were amputations?

“The limbs of soldiers are in as much danger from the ardor of young surgeons as from the missiles of the enemy.” Although the exact number is not known, approximately 60,000 surgeries, about three quarters of all of the operations performed during the war, were amputations.

What medicine did doctors use in the Civil War?

Medications that were helpful included quinine for malaria, morphine, chloroform, and ether, as well as paregoric. Many others were harmful. Fowler’s solution was used to treat fevers and contained arsenic. Calomel (mercurous chloride) was used for diarrhea.

How was medical knowledge at the time of the Civil War?

The state of medical knowledge at the time of the Civil War was extremely primitive. Doctors did not understand infection, and did little to prevent it. It was a time before antiseptics, and a time when there was no attempt to maintain sterility during surgery.

How did Surgeons in the Civil War respond to the war?

Civil War doctors were woefully ill-prepared; of 11,000 Northern physicians, 500 had performed surgery. In the Confederacy, of 3,000, only 27. Many docs got their first introduction to surgery on the battlefield. Doctors usually did not specialize. Medical school, for many, was just 2 years (some less, few more). Surgeons reacted by adapting.

How long did it take to become a Civil War Doctor?

Generally, Civil War doctors underwent two years of medical school, though some pursued more education. Medicine in the United States was woefully behind Europe. Harvard Medical School did not even own a single stethoscope or microscope until after the war.

Did civil war surgery improve patient health outcomes?

A 2016 research paper found that Civil War surgery was effective at improving patient health outcomes. The study finds that “in many cases [surgery] amounted to a doubling of the odds of survival”.