ipl-logo

How Did The Civil War Affect Health

518 Words3 Pages

With over 620,000 deaths, the American Civil War was definitely one of the bloodiest wars in history. The battles between the Union and the Confederate troops raged on from 1861 to 1865 and ruined the lives and families of countless people. There were prison camps that tormented their prisoners, animals that were used until death, and diseases that ran rampant throughout the soldiers’ barracks. An average of 504 people died every day due to battle, which is actually a record (Civil War by the Numbers). Countless problems were faced by almost everyone that was a part of the battles, and by those who were only affected in second-hand ways. The Civil War was responsible for many things, including impacting the health of people, animals, and the land soldiers traversed. While it may have done wonders for the social aspect of America in terms of progression, one …show more content…

Constant exposure to death and disease took their toll, as well. Disease would spread deadly and fast due to poor sanitation and the close quarters soldiers were put in. For example, there were over 1,300,000 cases of diarrhea among Civil War soldiers, and 34,000 of those cases ended in death. In addition to that, surgeries and amputations were responsible for a great deal of death as well, with over 20,000 soldiers dying post-surgery (Civil War 150 Interactive). Much of the death was a result of the fact that surgeons were not knowledgeable on subjects like hygiene or how bacteria spreads. They would use dirty instruments and would neglect to wash their hands between patients, which would cause the patients’ wounds to become infected. There were outbreaks of measles, malaria, small pox, pneumonia, and camp itch, which was spread by insects. In addition to bugs and doctors spreading disease, there was also the fact that garbage was everywhere around soldiers’ campsites, having been dumped just inside camp boundaries in an attempt at

Show More
Related
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
473 Words | 2 Pages

The Civil War as noted by many historians as the First Great War was a huge growing pain for our country as a nation and of free people. As all wars are the cost is high and the weight is heavy. The burden of conflict has always rested with the man with the biggest guns and the heart of steel that is the man of the Field

Read More
508 Words | 3 Pages

When one looks back in our history, we have always thought that everyone suffered after the Civil War. The Civil War after all was extremely destructive to anything and anyone involved. However, Robert Tracy McKenzie did not believe that everyone suffered a great deal. In fact, in his article, “Civil War and Socioeconomic Change in the Upper South: The Survival of Local Agricultural Elites in Tennessee, 1850-1870,” he discussed how the top five percent of the elite farmers were still prosperous. McKenzie’s article focuses on all three regions in Tennessee, but only a few select counties.

Read More
972 Words | 4 Pages

Drew Gilpin Faust, wrote the book This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War, this book was about the suffrage in the Civil War. Although more specifically the book goes in depth about the death of the ones who was in the war as well as the spiritual. Since this was back in the nineteenth century, they have not had the access to the medical technology that we do today. This then led to many deaths from “infections, disease in the camp, and that doctors did not have the knowledge to use clean instruments when treating a wound properly” (Faust 4). Though just from 1861 and 1865 it was estimated about 620,000 soldiers died in the Civil War, this is a time expand of approximately four years.

Read More
586 Words | 3 Pages

Although sleep was a major problem for the confederate soldier's, disease and starvation also played a very major role in the conflicts prisoners faced. Some diseases that were common in prisoners were diarrhea, Typhoid fever, dysentery, scurvy, smallpox and itch. There was great malnutrition on soldiers. Majority of soldiers died due to lack of sanitation, food, and medical care.

Read More
910 Words | 4 Pages

The rats had infested the trenches stealing food and carrying diseases that spread rapidly to the soldiers, some also grew as big as cats. Lice was also one of the main offenders, causing a disease called trench fever, this disease was particularly painful which began with severe pain followed up by high fever (this is stated in source 7). This disease took a very long time to recover; it could take up to 12 weeks away from the trenches. Men usually shaved their heads due to the lice. Trench foot was another disease it was a fungal infection generally caused by cold and wet feet.

Read More
768 Words | 4 Pages

The Battle of Gettysburg had a major impact on the Civil War. The 3-day battle in Gettysburg was very gruesome, and resulted in many casualties on both sides, all together having over 50,000 deaths (according to HistoryNet.com) in the battle. “Union casualties in the battle numbered 23,000, while the Confederates had lost some 28,000 men–more than a third of Lee’s army.” (History.com Staff). This shows, how the deaths of the Confederate Army, weakened not only their morale, but their defense.

Read More
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
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
110 Words | 1 Pages

Approximately 620,000 died during the Civil War while approximately 116,516 died in World War I and approximately 405,399 died in World War II.

Read More
1166 Words | 5 Pages

“Trench life involved long periods of boredom mixed with brief periods of terror. The threat of death kept soldiers constantly on edge, while poor living conditions and a lack of sleep wore away at their health and stamina.” Rats and lice pestered the soldiers day and night; rats were often oversized, due to the food and waste of stationary armies, and would participate in the spreading of diseases throughout the trenches. In 1918, doctors concluded that lice was the cause of trench fever, which caused the soldiers headaches, fevers and muscle pain. The trenches were unhygienic.

Read More
466 Words | 2 Pages

The Civil War The Civil War was the deadliest war in American history with over 600000 American deaths reported. This war was fought to keep the Confederate States from leaving the Union. The Union won because they had a telegraph system and had more resources. The effect of the Union victory has had a large impact on society.

Read More
1033 Words | 5 Pages

The Civil War was one of the most turning points for the nation. The Civil War tore apart the nation into two divisions and turned their backs on each others. The Civil War was a battle between the two sides of the nation, the North and the South. The ones that stood against slavery and equal rights. The other side was most of the slave owners who fought against equal rights and not allowing slavery.

Read More
657 Words | 3 Pages

Their progressive view in the academic circles at once dominant position broadly speaking, the civil war was the deadliest conflict in American history. However, our traditional measure of the impact of War (casualties of war) is not sufficient to reflect the losses caused by the war. The first is the environmental disaster, which continues for a long time after the fighting subsides. Even say, never die. All wars bring disaster to the environment.

Read More
561 Words | 3 Pages

The trenches unsheltered from the elements would become murky quagmires filled with filthy water which would lead to “trench foot” a form of gangrene caused by the foot being constantly emerged in water. Trench soldiers also were constantly infested with lice, ticks, flies, mosquitos. These pesky creatures carried with them annoying bites accompanied by deadly diseases such as west Nile and infected scalp. Diseases also ran rapid through the trenches. There was no formal or proper hygiene while in the trenches, and medical care was less than desirable.

Read More

More about How Did The Civil War Affect Health

Related Topics

Open Document