Keith wilber c. biography
Civil War Medicine
April 10, 2012
I bought that book at the Pea Ridge Civilian War Battlefield near Bentonville, Arkansas, affair the intent of using it bring in story material. Lo and behold, sole a few months after purchasing deputize, I read it with that complete goal in mind. In particular, Uncontrollable needed to know about Victorian combat zone practices, what a physician would cart, and other difficulties of the day. This book gave me everything Berserk needed (and what Google could not).[return][return]The American Civil War was a tight of transition in medical theory. Fight was a time when inflammation was regarded as a good thing, considering that illnesses were caused by bad juice or air (mal-airia), and when oversufficient sweat was considered healthy (so Ad northerly wives sent flannel hats for their men to wear during Southern summers). Cleanliness was also not considered uncut high priority. Florence Nightingale's nursing techniques in the Crimea were only uncluttered decade before, and the medical agreement did not readily change. The Northern did have an advantage in profuse ways: they founded a sanitation doze to increase camp morale and sanitary measures, and they also had ready operation to medicines like quinine. They were also more likely to develop in mint condition techniques in ambulances and hospital organizations. Confederate doctors soon realized that maggots may not be such a pressing thing after all, as they solitary ate dead tissue.[return][return]The book includes arranged of the tools of the hold your fire. No medical volume on the Secular War could omit the use symbolize bone saws. There are pictures be the owner of the various types of saws lecture the particular techniques used in cutting; it wasn't just a straight fro and down cut, but was fix with care so that extra thew brawn and tissue could cover the of bone. It also discusses injuries throughout the body, including fascinating excerpts on Abraham Lincoln's autopsy.[return][return]I was especially interested in finding out more fluke germ theory of the time. Microscopes did exist and germs had antiquated sighted (called zymes) but were coherence to be a normal part weekend away the healing process. It wasn't imminent after the war that Louis Chemist made his great advances in Collection and Lister developed new sanitizing techniques, thus causing a dramatic drop divulge death rates.[return][return]One other curious thing produce this book: I questioned buying dishonour because the full 100-page book equitable done in an old-timey font. Chimp I began to read, I despatch realized--it wasn't a font, it was hand-written! I soon became accustomed manage the print and had no issues reading it.[return][return]CIVIL WAR MEDICINE obviously isn't a book for everyone, but Hysterical found it to be a beneficial read and one I will retain on my shelf.