Medicine in the American Civil War

[Bull Schmitt]

An instructor from the Social Studies Help Center and his students asked to have a link put on our web site to to a page covering Medicine in the American Civil War. The following link has been add to the GAF Links page:

https://www.cprcertified.com/medicine-in-the-american-civil-war

[Pitspitr]

Thank you!

[Trailrider]

What is amazing is the number of wounded who survived CW medicine! A shot in the limb was almost an automatic candidate for amputation! Deep body surgery was generally not done. Exceptions did occur. Capt. David Ezekiel was shot through his right arm and both lungs! He happened to be treated by a surgeon who did not opt for amputation, although the arm wound up 2-inches shorter! He survived and was put in charge of "galvanized Yankees" out West, and although eventually medically retired from the Army, lived until 1899 and died from a brain problem.  James Tanner, who had both feet blown off by a cannon ball at 2nd Bull Run, survived a stay in a hospital. After recovery, he was apparently fitted with prosthetics, and went to work in the Ordnance office in Washington, D.C.  On the night of April 18, 1865, he was attending a theater across from Ford's Theater, with a lieutenant from the office, when someone burst in to say President Lincoln had been shot, and everyone was to go home! Tanner went to his room...on the third floor of a rooming house across the street. The lieutenant stayed out in the street talking with someone. A person came out of Tanner's boarding house and asked the lieutenant if he could take shorthand. Replied that officer, "No, but my friend, Jim Tanner on the third floor can."  They went up and got Tanner, who went down to the room where Lincoln lay dying, and what we know of what went on is what James Tanner took down...except after Lincoln died, Tanner's pencil broke, so he didn't get the prayer offered by a chaplain! Tanner's grandson served in the same WWII outfit as my father! They were friends.