ipl-logo

How Did Medicine Impact The Civil War?

671 Words3 Pages

The Civil War was a vital event that occurred in America’s historical consciousness and in order to understand the medical aspect of the war, first defining exactly what the war was about is fundamental. According to Dixon, the Civil War transpired in 1861-1865 and it was essentially about the “uncompromising differences between the free and slave states over the power of the national government to prohibit slavery in the territories that had not yet become states.” Significant battles occurred in Chickamauga, Shiloh in Tennessee, Fredericksburg in Virginia, and Antietam in Maryland, Gettysburg in Pennsylvania and Atlanta in Georgia. Moreover, how did the Civil War impacted medicine raised important points to be considered such as the disease-causing viruses that plagued the soldiers? Also the conditions the soldiers faced while undergoing treatment. Additionally, the post-war aseptic methods the care providers employed while treating the soldiers, if any was implemented at all. …show more content…

They believed that epidemic diseases were caused by “miasmas” or “viruses”, which they considered to be poison that float through the air. This misconception of diseases impacted the war negatively due to the fact that medicine did not reach a stage to provide certain insights of diseases. There were many infectious diseases that were common among the soldiers which included, “typhoid and other fevers, smallpox, acute and chronic diarrhea, yellow fever, measles, mumps, diphtheria, scarlet fever, erysipelas and the intermittent fevers.” These diseases gave a foul stench, according to Bollet “it was said that the Civil war army on March could be smelled before it could be seen.” Most of the stench came from the bacteria and virus causing diseases. Due to the vast amount of bacteria and virus causing diseases that plagued the soldiers, a centralized focus is placed on smallpox and gang

Show More
Related

Summary Of The Civil War A Exercise History By Louis Masur

338 Words | 2 Pages

The Civil War. Louis P. Masur’s book, The civil War: a Concise History, Is a book that gives an overview of the civil war from 18 to 1800, Providing multiple causes an consequences that emerged from the war. The book begins by reviewing the origins of the war. Chapter one covers the issues between northern and southern states and the tension over right and slave possession. The tension created a conflict that raised a number of political, social, and military events that then proceeded into a battle to abolish slavery from the colonies.

Read More

Drew Faust Summary

1526 Words | 7 Pages

In total, over 600,000 soldiers lost their lives in battle and to disease. While many soldiers anticipated the honorable death of dying on the field, there were twice as many soldiers that died from disease in the camp as that that died in battle. During the 19th century, medicine was relatively primative, and the lack of the germ theory or knowledge of antiseptic resulted in rapid disease spreading. Lack of general resources such as adequate clothes, nutrition, clean water, and santitary stations also contributed to the spread of common diseases like measles, typhoid fever, and malaria. Most commonly, soldiers suffered from diarheia and disentary, which combined with lack of clean water resulted in many cruel deaths.

Read More

James M. Mcpherson's What They Fought For: 1861-1865

1091 Words | 5 Pages

The United States Civil War is possible one of the most meaningful, bloodstained and controversial war fought in American history. Northern Americans against Southern Americans fought against one another for a variety of motives. These motives aroused from a wide range of ideologies that stirred around the states. In James M. McPherson’s What they fought for: 1861-1865, he analyzes the Union and Confederate soldier’s morale and ideological components through the letters they wrote to love ones while at war. While, John WhiteClay Chambers and G. Kurt Piehler depict Civil War soldiers through their letters detailing the agonizing battles of war in Major Problems in American Military History.

Read More

Give Me Liberty !: An American History Seagull 4th Edition By Eric Foner

286 Words | 2 Pages

I knew this is where I wanted to base off my essay. There is obviously a lot of events that happened in the Civil War, so I knew I had to be more specific on my topic. This was probably the most difficult part of this assignment so far. Some general topics in mind was the Thirteenth Amendment, Freedman’s Bureau, and Reconstruction.

Read More

Compare And Contrast The Military Strategies Of The Civil War

348 Words | 2 Pages

Many military strategies of the Civil War Many military strategies of the Civil War which made it the deadliest of all American wars. During the Civil War many strategies were used by the South and North, to fight hard but the hardest will win. There are many battles, many weapons were used, along with spies and navies. There were many battles, navies were important, spies were used in the war, very much, along with many weapons, and the South won the war. There were many major battles of the Civil War, the first one was Fort Sumter, others were the First Battle of Bull Run, Shiloh, Seven days battle, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, and Gettysburg ("Civil War Battles”).

Read More

The Influence Of Field Hospitals During The Civil War

306 Words | 2 Pages

Infections, like trench foot, were common during the civil war because there were no antibiotics, surgical instruments were never washed, and hospitals were very unhygienic. Doctors, surgeons, and nurses had very little knowledge of how disease and infection spread. Since there were no antibiotics, the most common solution for infections were amputations. If you did not have the limb amputated, normally you would die. So, it was either death or absence of a limb, which one would you

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of Valley Forge

714 Words | 3 Pages

Almost half the men at Valley Forge were sick, and after a while even more men would get sick. Constantly being surrounded by sick men and living in bad condition, is not a good combination. It would make it extremely easy for someone to get sick, and with no help or means of cure, could lead to death. About 20% of the men at Valley Forge died while enlisted, and while the other had survived, they didn’t live easily. They still had to deal with sickness, bad conditions, and fighting in the war.

Read More

Post Civil War Dbq

1017 Words | 5 Pages

To say the time period following the Civil War in the United States involved a lot of change would be a understatement. Between the years 1870 and 1900 the people of the United States lived through a period of great change. Not only did they witness technological advances that would change their daily lives, they also saw new laws and organizations formed. All of this was done in hopes of improving the country. Many of these changes came about because of the type of businesses that were formed.

Read More

Medicine During The Civil War Essay

1911 Words | 8 Pages

The Civil War was filled with many diseases and deaths. Over 620,000 men lost their lives during this war; roughly two thirds of the casualties were caused by the lack of medical knowledge of many diseases. The remaining one third of the casualties was from the actual battle itself. The war became a turning point for many women interested in the medical field. The knowledge of medicine was the beginning of a new age during the Civil War, and the lack of it led to many gruesome deaths.

Read More

Valley Forge Essay

665 Words | 3 Pages

I have a very large of dying from the sicknesses getting passed around. I overheard General George Washington say that around 3,989 soldiers have gotten sick by February (Busch 147). And that 2,500 deaths have come from sickness (Busch 147). Frostbite and Smallpox have played a big part here at Valley Forge. Frostbite has gotten many people’s limb taken off.

Read More

Dbq Essay Civil War

533 Words | 3 Pages

The Civil War is characterized as the bloodiest war in American History. From 1861 to 1865, the North and South fought over several of disagreements and encounters. The Civil War caused hundreds and thousands of men to lose their life, about 620,000 soldiers had died. The Civil War was fought in Pennsylvania, Texas, New Mexico, and Florida. Civil War began because the North wanted to abolish slavery, the South seceded from the Union, and the North overpowered the South.

Read More

All Quiet On The Western Front Epigraph Analysis

480 Words | 2 Pages

The trenches were unsanitary and rats and lice helped spread diseases. In such close quarters, illnesses such as the cold, fever, or tuberculosis spread quickly. Cold, wet weather resulted in injuries becoming more infected and a disease known as trench foot, which could lead to amputation (Duffy).The soldiers got little sleep and had no clean clothing. Food and water were also limited. During a battle, soldiers had could have no food or water for days, leading to starvation or dehydration.

Read More

Union Soldier Life

887 Words | 4 Pages

Life for the Union Soldier was not only brutal on the battlefield, but the camp life for a Union soldier was just as cruel. With the lack of personal hygiene, unsavory and repugnant food, and the shortage of clothing made living, a very difficult thing to do. Growth in the number of people with diseases was also a contributing factor to the massive amounts of death within the camp and as well as the post-battle wounds that often left either a man with one less limb or put in a mental institution. A Union Soldier’s life during the Civil War was cruel and horrific during their stay at the camps.

Read More

Why Did The American Civil War Was Inevitable?

707 Words | 3 Pages

Two fundamental questions normally surround the history of any war: whether the war was inevitable and if it was necessary. These same questions emerge any time during debates regarding the American Civil war. The most cited cause of the Civil war is the secession of certain southern states that formed the Confederate States of America in January 1861. Thomas Bonner writes "Civil War Historians and the "Needless War" Doctrine" arguing that Southern Carolina seceded in 1860, followed by six other states by January the following year. A deep analysis of the events leading to the war indicates that the Union and the Confederates had profound ideological, economic, political, and social differences.

Read More

Informative Essay: Why Does Civil War Matter?

818 Words | 4 Pages

The Civil War is the bloodiest battle that America has ever faught in but is it still relevant to today’s society? There has been much debate on the importance of the Civil War and in recent years, the Civil War has become less popular in the eyes of the common American Citizen. The Civil War recently had its 150th birthday but much to the dismay

Read More

More about How Did Medicine Impact The Civil War?

Open Document