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Scurvy Civil War

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Disease impacted the mobility and effectiveness of Union and Confederate armies. Medical personnel and others who encountered the military bands, such as contrabands and civilians, contracted some of these diseases also. Death followed military encampments but also led to changes in military practices and advanced medical knowledge of disease symptoms, treatment, and prevention. The diseases of typhus, scurvy, chronic diarrhea and/or dysentery, malaria and yellow fever impacted the effectiveness of both armies by cutting the number of soldiers available for battle. All involved fought despondency which was enhanced by malnutrition. Leading military physicians reported that the men “do not feel sick and yet their energy, their powers of endurance, …show more content…

None had regular dietary access to Vitamin C; a nutrient needed to prevent scurvy. As Letterman records in his memoirs “this disease ... and the causes which give rise to it undermine the strength, depress the spirits… of those who do not report themselves sick, and who yet are not well.” Medical records describe other common deficiencies through symptoms yet ultimately list the diagnosis of some variant of scurvy. This was a reflection of the medical understanding at the time; “some complaints were listed according to symptoms, others according to the seat of the disease, and still others according to their real or fancied cause.” For example, a deficiency in vitamin A manifested in night blindness, and niacin deficiency was evidenced through skin sensitivity and diarrhea. Due to this lack of understanding about malnutrition and its various symptoms, physicians diagnosed night blindness, or skin irritation, or diarrhea, rather than …show more content…

Union soldiers were well fed, barring particular sieges, but faced a lack of fruits and vegetables. Soldiers regularly requested they be sent canned fruits in their letters home. There are stories of both sides stopping mid-march to forage wild fruits such as blackberries. Regardless of the color of the uniform, soldiers on the march lacked vital nutrients. A minority among the Southern medical sphere, Dr. Porcher, recognized “that proper food of suitable quantity and quality was the principal agent in procuring a cure.” At the time, the general consensuses on disease causes were based on the older belief of bodily humors, even neurological issues and environmental influences. Malnutrition led to a less robust immune system which is then more susceptible to newly introduced (to the individual)

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The soldiers also slept in small canvas that was weak and didn 't, provide any protection from the snow. This resulted in them having diarrhea, dysentery, and fevers. With so many sicknesses going around about 2,000 out of 12,000 people died. George Washington tried to encourage the farmers to sell some of their food to the soldiers because they were short on supplies. He even gave out flyers of lists of

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1240 Words | 5 Pages

The doctors thought that the improved nutrition would help kill the bacteria. It was not often known at that time to the doctors that the improved nutrition of the patients helped them fight the tuberculosis (Ryan 28). The doctors in the book knew that the patients would have better odds if their bodies were more prepared to fight the tuberculosis. Naomi and Eudora were tasked with enforcing the patients' eating habits. The regulated diets were only a small part of everyday life at the

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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.

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449 Words | 2 Pages

In Document A, it shows that on “ February 1, 1778  3,989 people were sick with an Illness.” That is 50% of the total soldiers at Valley Forge at the time. This shows that if more people were willing to stay, fight, and help with needed supplies, there would be more people able to fight,a greater and easier chance of winning, and staying a powerful

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858 Words | 4 Pages

Dr. Albigence Waldo, a Connecticut surgeon wrote, “... no, begin to grow sickly from the continued fatigues… yet they still show a spirit of Alacrity and Contentment of the young soldiers.” (1777). This quote is from a journal from Dr. Albigence Waldo, who portrays the daily life in Valley Forge. He construes the hardship each soldier faced and how challenging it was. He furthermore, wrote, “I am sick-

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630 Words | 3 Pages

The three things a soldier needs to fight are bulky boots, satisfied stomach, and a good night’s sleep. “One, a sturdy pair of boots,’ I said. ‘Two, a full belly. Three, a decent night’s sleep” (Anderson 80). 5)

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306 Words | 2 Pages

A soldier dreaded being on the battlefield more than being in the field hospital, right…? Field hospitals were usually very, very crowded. There were never enough beds for everybody and people that couldn’t get a bed were laid outside of the hospital on the ground. Doctors were always overworked and went to the soldiers who needed the most help first. So, if you had a broken bone, chances are you would be stuck waiting for hours and maybe even days.

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627 Words | 3 Pages

Sickness hangs heavy in the air with the stench of death. Soldiers walk by me in tattered clothes, some missing shoes and toes. As I lay on the ground of my hut, trying to sleep, that another poor soldier had to build, I shiver and huddle in a ball to try to keep my body heat toward me in an attempt to keep me somewhat warm. The Continental Army made their winter camp in a town called Valley Forge, located eighteen miles out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the winters of 1777 and 1778, there was freezing weather and a couple thousand of sick soldiers and dead soldiers (Busch, 147).

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717 Words | 3 Pages

On one hand, there are scientists who blame health problems on a lack of nutrients, and on the other hand there are scientists who blame those

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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.

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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.

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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.

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1097 Words | 5 Pages

At the end of the nineteenth century, it is not uncommon for a woman to warn of diseases caused by milk... except that it was not because of the milk, but because of the bacteria that lived there (mainly tuberculosis and brucellosis), since pasteurization Was extended until some time later. So that milk with bacteria and sugar (food highly available and highly digestible by bacteria) that is a dangerous food that allows the multiplication of these bacteria, which should normally die from the acidic pH of the stomach but this effect is neutralized by the alkalizing of milk. The love of spiritual matters, we must regulate our way of life, not to take animal food, and use cereals, vegetables and fruits, as food items. " WHITE, E. G.

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652 Words | 3 Pages

A poor diet can affect children’s health and development in short term causing a poor immune system. The body finds it difficult to fighting off colds and other infections. Anaemia: Anaemia is a disease caused by iron deficiency.

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585 Words | 3 Pages

Another way physical needs were met was through a healthy balanced school dinner catered around the needs of the children. They school dinners consisted of

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