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WHAT INFLUENCE DID THE CIVIL WAR HAVE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL CARE?
1861-1865
"The Civil War was fought at the end of the medical Middle Ages."
William Hammond
ROLE OF THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN ARMY'S NAVY IN MEDICAL CARE
How did each side's Navy effect the treatment and transport of wounded soldiers?
During the war, the Union and the Confederacy similarly treated around one million soldiers in their respective hospitals. But, each side's Navy, and even railroads played a pivotal role in transporting and treating soldiers. Union forces began to convert rail cars into hospital trains in 1862, with cook and dispensary cars, and cars well-equipped with medical supplies. The Confederacy used rail transport also, but were far less developed than the Union. Overall, trains transported more than 250,000 wounded soldiers during the war. The U.S Government also created hospital ships, converting steamers into transport ships as well.
The D.A January was converted into a 450-bed hospital, transporting some 30,000 soldiers during the war, with a mortality rate of merely 2.3%. Both Navies had their own operating medical services; each Union ship had its own doctor, with a ratio of one nurse per 100 men. The Crews that surgeons served alongside could be wounded at sea; those serving on ironclads could have been wounded or killed by iron splinters, sheared bolts, and accidents. Steam propulsion increased risk of illness from excessive heat, and bad ventilation; the main diseases on board were typhoid and malaria.
Patients could be transferred to onshore naval hospitals to recuperate, in cities like Philadelphia, New York, Savannah, Richmond, and Mobile, The U.S Navy created the first floating hospital when a Confederate steamer was captured by the Union's Mound City, and was renamed the U.S.S Red Rover. It was refurbished and cared for soldiers of the Mississippi Squadron; it had bathrooms windows, a 300-ton capacity icebox, and an elevator. It was also used to bring supplies to other ships.
Nurses were sent from the order of "Sisters of the Holy Cross", the first time women were allowed to serve on a U.S Navy Ship. On the topic of Civil War Medicine, factors like Naval capabilities are frequently overlooked. Without the help of their Navy, it is probable the Union would have lost the war.
CAUSES OF DISEASE
With 1.7 million casualties throughout the war, there had to have been a plethora of things that caused such a high casualty rate! What were they? How were they so deadly?
It doesn't happen by chance that 1.7 million people would end up on a casualty list in a little under 4 years. In the Civil War, disease accounted for 2/3 of fatalities, and 7/8 of casualties. There were dozens of ways disease was brought about during the war. It is necessary for Civil War researchers to learn about the cause of disease, and understand how they were transmitted, and most importantly, how they were so deadly.
One major cause of disease was Crowding and Ventilation. "Crowd Poisoning" was a result of soldiers sleeping close together in tightly packed shelters and tents; contagious illnesses spread quickly from soldier to soldier in living quarters. Overcrowded barracks were a problem for new recruits, who were vulnerable to contagious illnesses. Another cause of disease was exposure to the elements, cold, snow, ice, rain, mud, and heat. These all enhanced the likelihood of illnesses. Confederates were especially vulnerable, with inadequate clothing to combat the weather. Frostbite was a problem in the winter, and sunstroke was a problem in the summer. Many military doctors believed that exposure was the cause of diarrhea that so many soldiers suffered from.
Sanitation and hygiene were other chief causes of disease during the war. The U.S Sanitary Commission actively publicized the need for proper sanitation and hygiene; many surgeons either failed to understand its importance, disregarded it, or couldn't convince other medical officers to practice it. Both Northern and Southern Recruits were undisciplined and ignorant about personal hygiene. Advice about bathing and washing was not followed; camp hygiene was horrendous, food wastes were lying around, latrines were dirty and hastily made, and the water supply was contaminated - this led to many deaths and injuries. The last main cause of disease was food and water. Union soldiers were fed adequately, except on long campaigns with short supply lines.
Confederates suffered food shortages that grew worse as the war progressed; lots of food the Confederate soldiers ate were undercooked. Disruption of supply lines sometimes led to days without food, food was easily spoiled, and could be contaminated by maggots, weevils, etc. Troops deprived of food were easily vulnerable for illness; the lack of green, fresh, leafy vegetables was a cause of scurvy. Many soldiers used foraging to find and steal food, and some Confederates were even authorized to demand food from civilians and gather it, to feed the other men. Many unskilled cooks took turns preparing meals.
Excrement caused contaminated water, which led to dysentery, cholera, and typhoid; soldiers drank from the same water that people washed, prepared food, animals drank and bathed, and bugs proliferated. All of these factors equally contributed to the towering casualty rate during the war.