Myths of Civil War Medicine

     One of the things we try to do through the exhibits at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine is to dispel some common myths about medical practices during the Civil War.  Probably the most common misconception regards the surgeons as being uneducated butchers who indiscriminately amputated limbs from wounded soldiers.  In fact, though the term “sawbones” does predate the Civil War, it is most strongly associated with Civil War surgeons. 

     The truth is that the surgeons were educated.  The majority of Civil War surgeons attended medical school or trained with an established doctor.  Additionally, they were required to pass an exam before they were allowed to serve as a surgeon in the army. 

 

This is an admission card for a medical class at the University of New York, dated 1850.  Medical students purchased these cards for admissions into the lectures.  Note that it signed by the student, Jacob Ebersole, and the professor, Elisha Bartlett.

 

   

     The staggering number of amputations performed was not due to incompetence.  That can mostly be blamed on the new rifled musket technology and the Minié ball.  The severe tissue and bone damage done by the Minié ball made it necessary for surgeons to perform amputations.  Repairing the damage was simply not possible at that time, and amputation was the best way to save the life of the wounded soldier.

 

An amputation saw is the instrument which comes to mind for most people when Civil War medicine is mentioned.  This saw has an ebony wood handle with a cross-hatching design which provided a bit more grip.  Notice that the blade of this saw can be replaced.

 

     Another myth which has been reinforced in some old movies, is that many amputations were done without anesthesia.  Patients undergoing amputations were reportedly were given bullets to bite on for the pain, hence the expression, “to bite the bullet.”  I can tell you that is one expression which is not used at my museum! 

     The truth here is that before the Civil War, the anesthetic qualities of both chloroform and ether were known.  The first surgery using ether as an anesthetic was performed in 1846, well before the start of the Civil War.  The fact is that some form of anesthesia was used in 95% of Civil War surgeries. 

 

This medical tin contained chloroform, and was part of a U.S.A. Medical Department hospital kit from the Civil War.

 

     Another myth is that there were no effective drugs available during the Civil War.  Admittedly, there were some remedies which were ineffective, and others which were downright dangerous.  However, there were many medications available which were quite effective.  Morphine and opium were used in the Civil War, and opiates continue to be used as painkillers.  Civil War soldiers were often successfully vaccinated against smallpox, and we continue to use vaccines to protect us from many diseases. 

 

This medical tin contained quinine, which was (and still is) used to combat malaria. 

 

     One more myth is that the Civil War surgeons did not have to deal with the amount of paperwork which is common today.  However, in addition to their other duties, they actually had quite a bit of time-consuming paperwork to complete.  Surgeons had to keep records of the daily sick call, patient rosters from the hospitals, their surgical case notes, lists of the discharged and deceased soldiers, records of the medicines and hospital stores they received, and sometimes even weather data.  They also had to send requisitions for medical supplies, as well as monthly reports to the Surgeon General's Office.

 

This is a “Form for Examining a Recruit” which was filled out by Inspecting Surgeon John H. Mackie on October 16^th, 1862.  The subject was a 25-year-old recruit named James Smith from Biddeford, Maine, who listed his occupation as a laborer.  The only area of concern listed is where it is noted that he is missing one upper incisor.  He was approved.

 

 

 

Here is a surgeon’s Morning Report book.  Take a closer look at the line near the bottom which reads, “Put up by Edward R. Squibb, M.D.”  Does that name sound familiar?  If you’ve heard of the pharmaceutical company, Bristol-Myers Squibb, you now know one of its founders!

 

     This all makes me wonder if the fellows from the Mythbusters television show would ever tackle any of these myths!

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

No Mules Allowed in the Galleries!

     One of the NMCWM’s recent donations is an original plate taken from the “Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,” which is also referred to simply as the “War of the Rebellion Atlas.”  This atlas was published by the Government Printing Office in 1895, and was compiled by Captain Calvin D. Cowles of the 23rd U.S. Infantry.  It was published in 36 volumes, and contained 175 plates of maps, illustrations, and technical drawings from both Union and Confederate sources.

This particular print is titled, “Diagram Illustrating the Principle Means Used in Transporting the Sick and Wounded and Medical Supplies during the War of the Rebellion, 1861-5.”  It’s certainly something we can use at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine!

 

     It contains 39 individual illustrations of Civil War medical care and transport items, some of which we have on exhibit at the museum, including various stretchers, a U.S. Army medicine pannier, and a field medical kit.  

The Squibb medicine pannier fits well into one of our cases.

     However, many of the other items illustrated, including a hospital ship, an Autenreith medicine wagon, ambulance wagons, hospital train cars, and an Army wagon and mule team, simply wouldn’t fit into our display cases, or even our galleries.  Or would they?  Take a look at how we managed to display some of these larger items.  

Diagrams like this one of a Civil War hospital steam ship are certainly one way to show an item which would be too large to bring into the museum building….

….especially if you also have an interior plan of the item to show how the item was constructed and equipped.  You can read more about a Civil War hospital ship here. 

A real Autenreith medicine wagon wouldn’t fit in the museum.  So, we could show visitors this diagram of it….

….or we could have just the back portion of an Autenreith medicine wagon reproduced and installed on a wall.  With the addition of a Plexiglas cover over the back, we can also display some of the original medicines and supplies which were contained in the wagon.  While it isn’t an original wagon, it certainly shows how these wagons functioned.

A full-sized railroad car is certainly too large to fit into most museums,….

…..but we turned a ramp between galleries into a hospital train car, complete with some background train sounds!  You can get a closer look at our “Train Ramp” here. 

Though I’m sure everyone would love to see real mules hitched to a real Civil War army wagon….

….we can’t have animals in the galleries with the artifacts!  The horses and mules painted on this mural do still show how the wagons were moved.  In this case, it is a reproduction of an ambulance wagon, or more accurately, HALF of an ambulance wagon.  The other part of the wagon is incorporated into the mural in order to save space.

     Finding creative ways to display these over-sized items can certainly be challenging, but I think our team here at the NMCWM has done a great job!

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.