Introduction

Medical sciences and medical education in the United States shortly before the Civil War were very different from what they are today. Most doctors were poorly trained. It was not unusual for a doctor to practice after receiving only several months of medical training. Particularly in smaller towns and in rural areas, doctors did not have any formal medical education at all. Furthermore, American medical schools did not keep up with their European counterparts. If an American wanted to gain comprehensive medical education aligned with the most recent findings in medical sciences, they usually traveled to Europe and studied at European medical universities. 

In the mid-19th century, even the best-trained doctors did not know what we know today. No correct theories of disease or germ theory existed yet, and doctors were guessing rather than knew what was causing disease. Consequently, their methods of treating patients were not what doctors today consider suitable and effective. However, several important medical developments were already known at the time. Perhaps the most important in the context of the Civil War was using opiates, or natural substances that interact with the central nervous system, to ease the pain. However, doctors did not know at the time that while helping with pain, opiates are also very addictive and can cause extreme harm to a patient. 

Because of these developments, medical care during the Civil War was limited. Doctors tended to soldiers who were already sick, in pain, or wounded but did not offer any solutions to prevent disease. Crowded and unsanitary conditions in military barracks contributed to the rapid transfer of contagious diseases, e.g. measles, yellow fever, cholera, or typhoid. Poor diet and polluted water commonly caused gastrointestinal (digestive) disorders. Amputation, which typically meant removing one’s limb, was a major method of addressing battlefield wounds. Hospitals were built quickly, haphazardly, and without proper accommodations. Doctors, many of whom were young and inexperienced, worked long shifts without much rest. Two out of three Civil War deaths occurred from disease rather than as a result of a battle.

In this activity, you will examine a Civil War-period military order concerning “a sick call” and a photo showing hospitals that cared for the sick and wounded during the Civil War.