Recap: Advances in Medicine During the Civil War

Many thanks to Brad Stone, a volunteer with the National Museum of Civil War Medicine who fascinated our group with his presentation on the advances in medicine during the Civil War.  

At the outbreak of the war, both sides expected a quick and bloodless conflict and were unprepared to tend to the thousands of wounded. William Hammond, the U.S. Surgeon General, and Jonathan Letterman the Medical Director of the Army of the Potomac revolutionized military medicine not only in the United States but also worldwide. Fortunately, this new process was completed just months before the Battle of Antietam. Frederick, as the closest city, had its population more than double with the addition of 8,000 wounded soldiers from Antietam. 

Contrary to the depictions in movies and tv, only 250 of more than 80,000 surgeries during the war were done without anesthesia and most wounds were sutured with silk thread, not cauterized. If you want to learn more about Civil War medicine visit the museum in Frederick. 

Brad Stone will be back with us on December 6th when he will discuss Christmas celebrations during the Civil War and the influence on our current celebrations.