Advancements
Many medical advancements occurred during the Civil War. Before the Civil War little to no medical records were recorded. During the Civil War doctors began taking adequate records and detailed reports. This led to the publication of Medical and Surgical History of the Civil War.
Medical professional established system for managing mass casualties, such as aid stations, field hospitals and general hospitals. Pavilion style general hospitals were large, clean and ventilated.
Doctors began to learn and understand more about the surgical process. They learned of the importance of immediate medical care to wounds and fractions. Amputations occurred in the first 24 hours. They also began to understand the importance of sanitation and hygiene for preventing infection, disease and death.
The Sanitary Commission was formed and eventually led to the American Red Cross.
Thousands of physicians underwent training. Where they were taught about new ideas and basic standards of care. Doctors and nurses became more familiar with prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, anesthetics and best surgical practices. This lead to a better understanding in the medical fields and saved many people's lives. Women also became nurses and cared for patients in hospitals.1
During the Civil War soldiers many soldiers were injured or died. Unfortunately if a soldier had a chest wound, they would be left to die. Surgeons concluded there was no point in treating chest wounds, since most soldiers died even if surgery was done on the chest.
Benjamin Howard was a young assistant surgeon who was often assigned medical grunt work: changing bandages, suturing wounds, and grabbing food for doctors. Howard began experimenting with chest wounds. He discovered the problem wasn't with the wound itself, but rather the sucking. Sucking is when the negative pressure in the thorax, created by the opening in the chest cavity, caused lungs to collapse, leading to suffocation. Howard learned that if he closed the wounds with metal structures, followed by alternating layers of lint or linen bandages with drops of collodion, it created a seal.
Howard's innovation soon became standard treatment. The number of lives saved quadrupled.2
Civil War Medical Field Tents (7)
Civil War Ambulance (6)
Soldier with a Chest Wound (8)
Carleton Burgan a 2o year old private from Maryland survived pneumonia. He eventually contracted gangrene from mercury pills he was taking. The gangrene quickly spread from his mouth to his eyes and led to the removal of his right cheekbone. 1862, Doctor Gurdon Buck, a surgeon from City Hospital, NY, used dental and facial fixtures to fill in missing bone until Burgan's face regained shape.
Doctor Gurdon Buck, now considered the father of modern plastic surgery. He was a Union surgeon. By using tiny structures he was able to minimize scarring. He completed 32 revolutionary operations on disfigured people.3
Bottle of Chloroform (10)
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Chloroform was first introduced in 1847. Before chloroform general inhalation anesthesia was used. Chloroform was first used by Sir James Young Simpsons. Physicians then began using it in civilian practice in the late 1840s to1850s. In 1849, chloroform became part of the standard army supply table. When chloroform was first being introduced many doctors and patients were wary. There had been deaths due to chloroform prior to the war, although rare they were widely publicized in medical journals, newspapers and coroners inquests. Eventually, by the end of the Civil War it was used much more.
Union records show that only 254 of 80,000 operations used a form of anesthetic. Chloroform was often the anesthetic of choice as it was easily inhaled, acted quickly and was efficient.
The procedure included a cotton or towel in the shape of a cone being dipped in chloroform then being placed on the patient's nose and mouth. Chloroform can be dangerous as it can cause cardiac arrest which can lead to sudden death.4
Cheek Wound (9)
Jonathan Letterman, the medical director of the Army of the Potomac, created a system to evacuate and care for the wounded. The system became a model for the current ambulance to ER system. His system had three stations.
The first station was a Field Dressing Station located on or next to the battlefield. At the station medical personnel would apply initial dressings and tourniquets to wounds.
The second station was a Field Hospital located close to the battlefield, usually in homes or barns,. Here emergency surgery could be performed and additional treatment could be given.
The third station was a Large Hospital located away from the battlefield. The hospital provided facilities for long term treatment of patients.5
Jonathan Letterman (11)
The Civil War directly resulted in a new era of medicine. Techniques developed in response to sick and wounded soldiers lead to advancements in pain management. Anesthesia became a specialty for treating wounded soldiers. Soldiers injured from explosions underwent plastic and reconstructive surgery, both of which are still used today. Doctors also created new ways to treat a surge in nerve injuries and chronic pain, marking the beginning of contemporary neurology. Amputation lead to the creation of X-rays, setting of bones, and a four- to six-week recovery period. As medical procedures began to advance, doctors began to focus and specialize in specific medical fields. Letterman’s organized system of care can still be seen today from bombings in Afghanistan to heart attacks in American grocery stores. His system directly influenced today’s 911 ambulance system. Doctors began taking adequate records and detailed reports of their patients, which they still do today. Doctors also began to learn the importance of sanitation and immediate medical care for severe injuries. Modern day hospitals are both very sterile and have an ER, for immediate help. The Sanitary Commission was formed and eventually led to the American Red Cross.
Many physicians underwent training and eventually began specializing in specific fields. This helped both doctors and nurses become more familiar with prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries. Physicians specializing in specific medical fields led to advancements in those medical fields and medical specialists. Benjamin Howard's wounded chest innovation was eventually built upon and now doctors are able to perform internal surgeries by opening up the chest. Chloroform was one of the first forms of anesthesia. It paved the way for the many types of anesthesia used today such as general anesthesia and regional anesthesia. The Civil War was a very important era for medicine. The advancements discovered during the Civil War can still be seen in modern day medicine.
1. Department of Surgery. "Medical Advancements during the Civil War." NCBI. Last modified September 1988. Accessed February 10, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3046560.
2. Rowe, Chip. "5 Medical Innovations of the Civil War." Mental-Floss. Accessed May 21, 2017. http://mentalfloss.com/article/31326/ 5-medical-innovations-civil-war.
3. IBID
4. Devine, Shauna. "Chloroform and the American Civil War: The Art of Practice and the Science of Medicine." Mercy Street. Last modified February 22, 2016. Accessed February 10, 2017. http://www.pbs.org/mercy-street/blogs/mercy-street-revealed/chloroform-and-the-american-civil-war-the-art-of-practice-and-the-science-of-medi cine/.
5. Civil War Trust. "Jonathan Letterman." Civil War Trust. Accessed February 10, 2017.http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/jonathan-letterman.html.
6. Civil War Zouave ambulance. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. Accessed May 21, 2017. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Civil_War_Zouave_Ambulance.jpg.
7. Civil War. Photograph. Emaze. Accessed May 21, 2017. https://www.emaze.com/ @ATRQTZOR/trench-foot-up-and.
8. Watercolour, Wounded Soldier. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. Accessed May 21, 2017. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Watercolour,_wounded_soldier_at_Waterloo_Wellcome_L0022544.jpg.
9. Civil War Facial Wound. Photograph. Wikimedia. Accessed May 21, 2017. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Civil_War_facial_wound.jpg.
10. Bottle of Chloroform. Photograph. Wikimedia. Accessed May 21, 2017. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Bottle_of_chloroform,_United_Kingdom,_1896-1945_Wellcome_L0058271.jpg.
11. Letterman.jpg. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. Accessed May 21, 2017. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Letterman.jpg.