Donofrio, president of the society of civil war surgeons, inc. Michael echols buys civil war medical books,surgery manuals, and surgical. Below are some of the records at nara where you may find medical information about soldiers. From the stench of putrefying flesh wafting through. Trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. Articles have featured research on slavery, abolitionism, women and war, abraham lincoln, fiction, national identity, and various aspects of the northern and southern military. Books civil war medicine research guides at virginia. This site contains numerous pictures and information on civil war medical books, antique medical books, and civil. Consultations for american civil war surgical sets.
United states history civil war, 18611865 the american war. Nurses, surgeons, and physicians rose to the challenge of healing a nation and advanced medicine into the modern age. These developments, potter explains, plunged the nation into years of sectional debate that erupted at various times and places, and ultimately in 1861, in secession. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Amputations in military surgery during the civil war were frequent and a procedure that those interested in civil war medicine are used to hearing about. There is a collection of civil war medical textbooks, surgeon information, bottles, books, and instruments. Directory of american civil war medicine collections. Old south books specializing in old and rare medical books. A collection of civil war era surgical manuals and medical books for the u. Paul loane, whose own examples of union headgear constitute one of the finest individually owned collections in. Civil war medicine tells the story of assistant surgeon james fulton of the 143rd penn. Chloroform, opium, whiskey, smuggling and surgeries on kitchen tables.
Clearly organized, authoritative, and readable, the. This essay series is written by mercy streets medical, historical and technical advisor, stanley b. Amputations in military surgery during the civil war by kevin thompson. All of our cd products are now available as flash drives.
Records of the department of veterans affairs, 1773 2007. The extreme violence between the northern and southern states sent a shockwave of sorrow and fear throughout america. For instance, severe gonorrhea was treated with whiskey mixed with. Civil war surgeons at petersburg library of congress during the 1860s, doctors had yet to develop bacteriology and were generally ignorant of the causes of disease. See information on the surgeon generals office library by wyndam miles. It was traditionally estimated that 620,000 soldiers died fighting on the battlefield between 1861 and.
The american civil war was fought between 1861 and 1865 over the issues of slavery and states rights. By the end of the year each regiment was being regularly supplied with a standard set of medical supplies included medical books, supplies of medicine, small hospital furniture like bedpans, containers for mixing medicines, spoons, vials, bedding, lanterns, and numerous other implements. Keith wilbur takes you on a detailed and fascinating tour through the medical history of this bloody and devastating war. Medicine in the united states was woefully behind europe. Medical items civil war artifacts for sale in gettysburg. Approximately 115,000 disapproved pension applications submitted by soldiers. After treating casualties of the september 1862 battle of antietam, maryland, keen went to work in philadelphia at the turners lane hospital, a facility famous for making discoveries about. This category is for articles on history books with the american civil war 18611865 as a topic. The story of civil war medicinethe staggering challenge of treating wounds and disease on both sides of the conflictis one of the most compelling aspects of the war. Hundreds of illustrations, combined with wellresearched and engaging text, tell the tale of the challenges presented to physicians with each new battle and the oftenheroic ways those challenges were met. The state of medical knowledge at the time of the civil war was extremely primitive.
It was stated that surgery was often done without anesthesia, many unnecessary amputations were done, and that care was not state of the art for the times. Actually, during the civil war, there were many medical advances and discoveries table 1. A guide to federal archives relating to the civil war. Nevertheless, the books on this list are, indeed, my alltime favorites cherished works that. The indiana state library rare books and manuscripts division recently acquired two civil warera handwritten letters by henry b. Doctors did not understand infection, and did little to prevent it. Learn about civil war battles, generals, political leaders and more. To have an understanding of the daily life of a soldier, be he either confederate or federal, during the american civil war, one must have a basic knowledge of the. Well written and detailed, this book is a must for any civil war medical enthusiast.
Civil war history is the foremost scholarly journal of the sectional conflict in the united states, focusing on social, cultural, economic, political, and military issues from antebellum america through reconstruction. Devines work will undoubtedly become one of the most important illuminations of civil war military medicine and a groundbreaker connecting that war on disease and injury to the rise of modern and scientific american medicine. Reading through his medical records, i cant help to wonder what alonzo luces civil war experience must have been like. Civil war medical books and civil war surgical sets. Walt whitman remarked on the plethora of hospitals around washington d. Amputations in military surgery civil war medical books. Collections include records for soldiers from over 50 territories and states. Pages in category history books about the american civil war the following 41. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books.
Medical and surgical care during the american civil war. This profusely illustrated volume represents more than three decades of research in public and private collections by military historian john p. The medical and surgical history of the war of the rebellion, 186165 the mshwr was a united states government printing office publication consisting of six volumes, issued between 1870 and 1888 and prepared under the direction of surgeon general united states army, joseph k. There are gruesome factual stories and pictures from the era that depict the procedure. The civil war and the rise of american medical science. Together, these things sound like the plot of a a weird mystery television show. Potters famous civil war prehistory begins with the end of the mexicanamerican war and the wilmot proviso. Depleted uranium, sarin, pyridostigmine bromide, vaccines. Medicine collections, a directory containing contact information, institutional abstracts. Medical education during the civil war medical antiques. It was a time before antiseptics, and a time when there was no attempt to maintain sterility during surgery. The history was divided into three parts, each consisting of a medical history volume and a surgical.
Mackay, 1863, by thomas halliwell pdf in australia. Michael echols buys civil war medical and surgery books, manuals, and surgical sets. Michael echols, american civil war medical and surgical antiques includes an extensive section on civil war medical books and surgical manuals. It deserves a wide readership among advanced students, researchers, and faculty. Sullivan press reproductions of books, documents, and. Medical and surgical history of the war of the rebellion. Countway library of medicine in boston, massachusetts. Written for general readers and scholars alike, this firstofits kind encyclopedia will help all civil war enthusiasts to better understand this amazing medical saga. Thousands of soldiers and citizens died from diseases like typhoid, tuberculosis, mumps, measles and dysentery. All of the above are available from amazon, some on kindle.
Nearly all the older doctors served as apprentices in lieu of formal education. The american civil war medical and surgical antiques site offers authentic medical and surgical antiques for sale. A guide to the archives of the confederate states of america. Keep clicking to see 37 images from the national museum of civil war medicine and the national library of medicine. Choice a thoroughly researched and detailed analysis of the civil war s powerful impact on american medicine. Walter reed army medical center thus became known as bordens dream and the borden institute was named in honor of ltc bordens efforts. This is a convincing book, well researched and written engagingly and enthusiastically. Civil war medicine articles american battlefield trust. Like many civil war medical workers, keen learned his trade on the job, under extreme duress, as civil war battles churned out thousands of wounded men. Journal of americas military past learning from the wounded presents a truly fresh thesis. Sep 23, 2018 the civil war was the bloodiest conflict in american history.
Medical care was heavily criticized in the press throughout the war. Civil war medicine illustrated living history series. The main cause of death during the american civil war was not from battle wounds but rather from disease. Civil war union surgical manuals and medical books. Generally, civil war doctors underwent two years of medical school, though some pursued more education. The entire website consists of more than 900 pages, including 9,862 photos, and is a work in progress. Civil war medical books is a site dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of medical and surgical manuals used in the civil war, especially those marked u.
The historical collections are made up of printed books from. Compiled service records for both confederate and union soldiers labeled with each soldiers name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier. Returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers. Union medical care improved dramatically during 1862. The site contains over nine thousand photos and nine hundred pages of articles on civil war medicine, surgical, and medical antiques. Hundreds of illustrations, combined with wellresearched and engaging text, tell the tale of the challenges presented to physicians with each new battle and the oftenheroic ways those. I bought this book to prepare for giving tours of a new civil war medical. During the civil war, both sides were devastated by battle and disease. Its origin, cause and probable results, considered specially with regard to slavery dunedin, nz. Marked usa hospital dept or usa medical department. Jonathan letterman, the civil war doctor who pioneered battlefield medicene. The american civil war is the most read about era in our history, and among its most compelling aspects is the story of civil war medicine the staggering.