Science and Medicine

1. CWPN Science and Medicine

2. Treatments • If a soldier was feeling sick, doctors would give them calomel. Calomel contained honey, chalk, and mercury, which is poisonous. • An aesthetic used during the Civil War was chloroform. This was quite effective during operations.

3. Diseases Twice as many soldiers died from gunshots as they did from diseases. These diseases included dysentery, measles, small pox, pneumonia, and malaria. These diseases were caused by inadequate living conditions in the camps such as poor hygiene, no sanitation, no clean water or food supply, and overcrowding.

4. The Bone Saw The bone saw was a tool that looked like a hacksaw used to amputate. This means it was used to chop of body parts such as legs, feet, arms, and hands. 75% of all surgeries were amputations.

5. Infections Because of the lack of water and the unclean medical tools, infection rates were very high. Most surgeons did not wash their tools between patients, so bacteria were passed from one patient to another. Once infected, pus would come out, and doctors would think that was a good thing.

6. Science • The doctors training was very low, resulting in very little knowledge about science and medicine. • Most doctors did not know about important things such as clean living conditions and tools were needed to prevent infection, the causes of diseases, and mercury was poisonous because of the little advancement in science.

7. Science There were some major advances in weapon technology. The Minnie ball was a very deadly bullet that usually resulted in amputation or death. Also, the rifled barrel was extremely accurate, resulting in more casualties. Also artillery became much more advanced, resulting in even more wounds or deaths.

8. Advances There were some major advances in science during the Civil War, the main one being the use of anesthetics. Anesthetics were only first used in 1846, and they were used 75% of the time in surgeries during the Civil War. Another big advance was keeping records. There were better and more complete records in this war than ever before.

9. Help or Hinder? We believe that the science and medicine advances both helped and hindered the war effort. It helped because of even though there were horrible conditions, 75% of amputees still survived. The medicine may have not been top-notch, but it sure did save many soldiers.

10. Help or Hinder? The advances hindered the war effort because of the weapon advances. These new and improved weapons led to thousands more casualties and wounds, resulting in more work for surgeons and a higher death toll.