Verified Document

Medical Care Influenced By Civil War And Essay

Medical Care Influenced by Civil War and Crimean Italian Unification Wars that Immediately Preceded the U.S. Civil War The objective of this study is to examine how medical care influenced the Civil War and Crimean Italian Unification Wars that Immediately Preceded the U.S. Civil War. The work of Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Pearce (2002) reports that the Napoleonic wars at the start of the19th century "introduced some important developments in the military medicine. Most significant was the work of the military surgeon Dominique Jean Larrey, who with courage, skill and determination, evolved a system to immediate treatment in the field." (Pearce, 2002, p.89)

Reports on Medicine During the Crimean War

Pearce states that Larrey wrote in his 'Memories de Dhirurgie Militaire et Campagnes as follows:

"…at Aboukir there were 1900 wounded, and many amputations were performed in the field of battle amid a shower of bullets." (2002, p.88)

Pearce reports that Larrey "instituted early evacuation of the wounded by means of 'ambulances volantes' reported as "light, two-wheeled well-sprung vehicles, each drawn by two horses, although of course, Ambroise Pare had used carts and wagons n 1552 to evacuate the wounded after the retreat from Metz."(Pearce, 2002, p.88) Larrey, who was surgeon-in-chief to the Imperial Guard, is reported to have nearly convinced Napoleon that military medicine "was an essential part of warfare." (Pearce,...

Pearce reports that no anesthetics were used in amputations and those surgeons did their work by the light of the moon since they had no lamps or candles. (Pearce, 2002, paraphrased)
II. The Use of Chloroform

It is reported that Chief of the Medical Staff of the British Expeditionary Army, had successfully used chloroform before the war but did not actually support its use or the use of the knife. The winter of 1854-55 was a hard one, the army lost many of its clothing stores, this combined with high casualties for the British Army, and the incompetence of medical service care resulted in a fatal outcome for many individuals. Pearce reports that the medical department was "a ramshackle affair, which, despite being responsible to three distinct ministers in London, was not responsible for its own supplies" and the supplies were instead controlled by two sections of the Treasury generally at odds with one another.

III. U.S. Civil War and Medical Service Provision

The U.S. Civil War (1861-1964) is reported by Pearce (2002) to have "once again focused attention in the lack of…

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

Adams GW. Doctors in Blue. The Medical History of the Union Army in the Civil War. Louisiana State University Press, 1996.

Freemon, Frank R. Gangrene and Glory: Medical Care During the American Civil War. Madison [N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1998.

Robert L. Pearce, Lt. Col. (2002) War and Medicine in the Nineteenth Century. ADF Health. Vol. 3 September 2002. Retrieved from: http://www.defence.gov.au/health/infocentre/journals/ADFHJ_sep02/ADFHealth_3_2_88-92.pdf

Rutkow, Ira M. Bleeding Blue and Gray: Civil War Surgery and the Evolution of American Medicine. New York: Random House, 2005.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

How Did Nursing Change Social Roles of Northern Women During the...
Words: 7299 Length: 22 Document Type: Dissertation or Thesis complete

Nursing & Women's Roles Pre-and-Post Civil War The student focusing on 19th century history in the United States in most cases studies the Civil War and the causes that led to the war. But there are a number of very important aspects to 19th century American history that relate to women's roles, including nursing and volunteering to help the war wounded and others in need of care. This paper delves into

Syrias Civil War and the Refugee Crisis
Words: 1202 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

While so many concerned world leaders, politicians, and social services professionals have bemoaned the physical and materials consequences of the Syrian Civil War on displaced persons, there is an even greater issue at stake. This issue has largely been ignored by experts. This issue is the existential crises afflicting so many displaced people: the loss of identity. The bulk of this presentation explores the idea that if one’s present is

Civil Rights Movement in America
Words: 2291 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

The milestone that the Civil Rights Movement made as concerns the property ownership is encapsulated in the Civil Rights Act of 1968 which is also more commonly referred to as the Fair Housing Act, or as CRA '68. This was as a follow-up or reaffirmation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discussed above. It is apparent that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 outlawed discrimination in property and housing there

War and Death When Considering
Words: 3476 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

This is not to suggest that either the United States or the Soviet Union were necessarily desiring this conflict, because "based on the scattered evidence now available from Soviet archives," Stalin was "wary and reluctant" in his support of the North, and only finally agreed to offer military equipment and advice when it became clear that China would intervene should the Soviet Union fail to offer support (Cumings 144).

Civil Liberties Are Protections From
Words: 3231 Length: 12 Document Type: Term Paper

The main advantage of the convention is that they provide an opportunity for candidates to define themselves in a positive way and for the party to heal itself after a decisive nomination battle. 2. The electoral college is the means by which presidents are actually elected. To win a state's electoral votes, a candidate must have a plurality of votes in that state. Except in two states, the winner takes all. 3.

Privatization of Healthcare Services in China Since
Words: 10562 Length: 34 Document Type: Dissertation

Privatization of Healthcare Services in China Since 1980s Empirical Analysis related to Primary level Changes Insurance Financing Policy Data Presentation, Observations and Analysis Obstacles faced by Private Clinics Future Outlook China opened its door to the outside world and introduced economic reforms in 1980 with a shift from a controlled central economy to an open and market oriented economy. This project takes on the task of investigating the Chinese privatization of healthcare sector with special emphasis on private

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now