Medical Practices in the Civil War
Everyone has heard the saying “bite the bullet” and know that it means that they have to do something difficult or unpleasant that they didn’t want to do and get it over with. Most people, if you asked where the phrase originated from, would not know and definitely would not guess it originated from the Civil War. Often, when a soldier was injured, they would have to get surgery or other painful medical procedures (“5 Medical Innovations of the Civil War.”). Since this was a time when anesthesia was not recommended to soldiers because it could kill them if they were given too much, soldiers would often “bite the bullet” literally to help cope with the pain (“Civil War Medical Practice.”). Anesthesia was used most often during amputations since it was one of the most painful procedures and it was used as much as ninety percent of the time for other major procedures. …show more content…
Ambulances are still used today to transport sick and wounded people to the hospital (“5 Medical Innovations of the Civil War.”). Jonathan Letterman implemented a system that would evacuate and care for the wounded and that was the ambulance. Today, there are more than 48,000 ambulances in the U.S. alone (“Number of Ambulances in the USA?”). Anesthesia, although more advanced and under control than it was during the Civil War, is still used in hospitals today (Civil War Helped Shape Today's Medical Practices). During the Civil War, Anesthesia was something that was dangerous since the amount needed to be given to the patient was unknown and could kill the person if they were given too much (“Pennsylvania Civil War 150.”) Anesthesia was also a blessing for the soldiers who had to have major procedures or surgeries done. Soldiers were given enough to at least make the pain more bearable. Anesthesia is now used in hospitals all over the United States when doctors do some procedures (Reilly, Robert
Everyone has heard the saying “bite the bullet” and know that it means that they have to do something difficult or unpleasant that they didn’t want to do and get it over with. Most people, if you asked where the phrase originated from, would not know and definitely would not guess it originated from the Civil War. Often, when a soldier was injured, they would have to get surgery or other painful medical procedures (“5 Medical Innovations of the Civil War.”). Since this was a time when anesthesia was not recommended to soldiers because it could kill them if they were given too much, soldiers would often “bite the bullet” literally to help cope with the pain (“Civil War Medical Practice.”). Anesthesia was used most often during amputations since it was one of the most painful procedures and it was used as much as ninety percent of the time for other major procedures. …show more content…
Ambulances are still used today to transport sick and wounded people to the hospital (“5 Medical Innovations of the Civil War.”). Jonathan Letterman implemented a system that would evacuate and care for the wounded and that was the ambulance. Today, there are more than 48,000 ambulances in the U.S. alone (“Number of Ambulances in the USA?”). Anesthesia, although more advanced and under control than it was during the Civil War, is still used in hospitals today (Civil War Helped Shape Today's Medical Practices). During the Civil War, Anesthesia was something that was dangerous since the amount needed to be given to the patient was unknown and could kill the person if they were given too much (“Pennsylvania Civil War 150.”) Anesthesia was also a blessing for the soldiers who had to have major procedures or surgeries done. Soldiers were given enough to at least make the pain more bearable. Anesthesia is now used in hospitals all over the United States when doctors do some procedures (Reilly, Robert