Medicine in the Civil War :: essays research papers fc

Medicine and Hospitals in the accomplished WarThe Civil War had more than deaths than all previous wars combined. Most people imagine those soldiers in the Civil War died of wounds or amputations, but the truth is that nearly died from common diseases that they neer had been exposed to. Twice as many an(prenominal) soldiers died from diseases than those soldiers who died in battle.Most people in the beginning of the war thought it was provided going to last a few weeks or months, so not lots effort was put into recruiting doctors or surgeons. Even so, surgeons really didnt have formal training in medicine. They did not know much about bacteriology and were ignorant of what caused diseases. Most Civil War surgeons also had never treated a gun shot wound or performed surgery, which conduct to the fact that they were not qualified at all. They would ordinarily have 2 years of schooling, with only bookwork in the first year, and the second year would usually just be a repeat. H owever, doctors tried the best they could at treating the injure and injured, and knowledge of medicine improved a little bit more each year.Most qualified surgeons started off as litter mail carrier and would carry men off the battlefield. If any of them showed interest in the health check field, they could become a Steward. A Stewards job was to worry care of patients with underage wounds such as, scratches, and bumps. The other duties of a Steward were to pull teeth and take care of medicines for the surgeons. The Steward would also guard the medicinal stores, because often soldiers would study to break into the medicinal stores where the morphine, opium, and whisky were stored. If a Steward completed these duties, and then he might be allowed to assist a surgeon in an operation, which could lead to becoming an assistant surgeon. He could then later on become an experienced and qualified surgeon.Soldiers faced diseases like measles, small pox, malaria, pneumonia, bivouack ing itch, mumps, typhoid and dysentery. However, diarrhea killed more soldiers than any other illness. There were many reasons that diseases were so common for the causes of death for soldiers. Reasons include the fact that there were suffering physicals before entering the army, ignorance of medical information, lack of camp hygiene, insects that carried disease, lack of turn and shoes, troops were crowded and in close quarters and inadequate nourishment and water.