Civil War Amputations Essay

1082 Words3 Pages

While the stories of the Civil War are often dominated by those of courageous soldiers and their harsh conditions, often the history of those serving the soldiers is forgotten. While medical staff had been prominent in armies for hundreds of years, the American Civil War brought a new era of medical treatment and personnel to the world and future of warfare. Mass amputations and an almost organized chaos characterized both the Confederate and Union medical staffs. Out of the hundreds of thousands of deaths, more than half were caused by disease, rather than combat injuries. Unsanitary conditions and food with poor nutrients took the lives of many soldiers, with many other soldiers dying before they could reach a treatment center. Many surgeons …show more content…

Although a significant number, these amputations were often necessary. Antibiotics had not yet been discovered and infection quickly set in on field wounds. Amputations were far more controlled and thought out than what is now in the public belief. After months at war, it was discovered that amputation within the first 24 hours of injury produced a far lower mortality rate than in the first 48 hours. Furthermore, amputations were only conducted by the most experienced and qualified surgeons. Only one in fifteen surgeons were qualified for amputation, and the procedure was often not taken with ease. William Child, a surgeon with Fifth Regiment of the New Hampshire volunteers, wrote to his wife about the atrocities of the war. He was horrified to see “the poor wounded and mutilated soldiers” and prayed that “God may stop this infernal work.” It is a common misconception that a surgeon would see a line of wounded patients, and with each, rudely amputate limbs. While a huge amount of amputations were performed by both armies, they were most often conducted in a controlled environment, and performed by the most skilled and qualified

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