Civil War History Essay (Essay Sample)

Amputation surgery during civil war
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Civil war led to massive destruction of property and intense injuries to solders. Many of the solders suffered severe injuries on the head, legs, hands, stomach, and libs among other parts in the body. Those got injured on the limb, stomach or head were put aside because they would likely die. Those had injuries on the leg or hand underwent surgical operation which many modern surgeons call it butchery because it was more of torture than surgical operation (Welsh, 1995 p 20-26).
The surgical operation was amputation. This was the only way considered favorable may be because back then, there was no improved technology to repair the broken bones, fractures, destroyed skins and destroyed tissues. Also the surgeons and the doctors were a bit behind the information because they showed no sign of competency in their operation. This is evidenced by the use of contaminated tool and how they reused them in different solders without even disinfecting them (Kuz, & Bradley 2007 p 32)
Amputees ranged from the most senior officer to the most junior solder. For example, John Bell Hood’s leg was amputated after suffering from the three burets. Other recognized officers who went through amputation process include Stonewall Jackson, corporal Latham among others. These are few amputees through there were many causalities. The most recognized surgeon who carried out the surgery operation is surgeon Jonathan Letterman.
Tools used to amputate the solders include the sawbones. The surgeons would saw the bone of the part of the body to be amputated tills it gets off. They would then tie the arteries with silk, horsehair or even cotton threads. Later they would scrape the sharp edges of the bones smooth, pull the flap skins across in order to sew it leaving a drainage hole. The stump would then be covered with a badge or isinglass plaster. The pain was too much to these solders since the whole operation was done live when feeling the full sensation of the whole operation (Cheng, 2004 p 21).
Unfortunately, surgeons could not use any Disinfectants to sterilize the bone saw used and other tools applied in the whole operation. The same tools could only be washed in cold water and be used to the next patient without taking too much consideration that the tools are not free from germs and infectious virus that would be transmitted to the next patient. Also, the same sponge used to wipe the first patient blood during operation would be used to the second, third and the rest patients. The sponge use to be washed in cold water and assumed is clean. In case something falls down during the operation, it could be taken and cleaned in pure cold water. Surgeons and other health works did not use proper protection gadgets during this operation (Coco, 2009 p 24).
Other tools used in amputation operation include; clumps, cutting pliers, curved probe, brush, and retractor and trepanning tools. These tools used to be carried in a pushed lined wooden chest. These tools were carried from one place to another and were used from one individual to another. This is because they were scarce and the causalities were many who needed medical attention. Sad enough there were no operating rooms. So, the operation could take place anywhere may it in the field, classroom, and churches or even in the bushes (Kuz, & Bradley 2007 p 42).
Surgeons, nurses and other health works dedicated their whole life in their professional works. They risked their life to help the soldiers who often suffered severe injuries during civil war. Unlike the modern hospitals, the field hospital had very few facilities that were not enough to serve the huge number of the casualties. They improvised all what they had to fill the void created by medical facilities scarcity. They used doors and kitchen tables as their surgical operation tables (Smit, Bongers, Van & Plettenburg 2012 p 14).
Surgeons were trained on cadavers to help them have much information on how to go about surgical operation to the soldiers. Nurses’ ware also trained in order to help the surgeon during their operation. They had the duty to take care of the patients after operation. Doctors also worked hand in hand with the surgeon and the doctors both in the field operation and in the hospitals. Despite the training, these professional health workers were not instilled with much skills and competencies to carry out effective and efficient operations
Not only professional health workers, but also the solders themselves were much behind the important information about healthy life. Majorities were ignorant and some got carried away by the fear of the battle. They feared less about the hygiene of the surrounding. They flocked in one place where they polluted the area excessively to an extend it led to the thriving of the microorganism. The dampness of the condition gave life to mosquitoes which spread malaria diseases to most of the soldiers (Robert, 2012 p 23).
Due to excessive sharing of operation instruments, there was a high rate of infectious diseases. This is because transmission of the infectious virus from one person to the other was very high since cold blood contaminated instruments was shared without being disinfected or sterilized. In fact there was no such technology to do so. Also, poor treatment of amputated areas speeded the rate of tetanus spread in the body (Smit, Bongers, Van & Plettenburg 2012 p 24).
In addition, Poor hygiene and environmental condition contributed to the spread of the infectious disease in a great way. Statistics shows that, many soldiers died out of the infectious diseases than in the battle. These diseases include dysentery, diarrhea and cholera. The spread of these diseases ware speeded up by drinking contaminated water and living in highly defecated areas. This condition allowed bacteria; fungi and parasites too thrive at a high rate thus high rate of infectious diseases transmission.
To ease the pain, the health workers used natural herbs as pain killers. These include oil from special trees, special roots from various plants and other natural leaves that had medical significances back then. Aesthetic used by the surgeon in their operations were ether and chloroform. Sometimes the surgeon could use alcohol in case of shortage in morphine and other painkillers. Unlike the modern hospitals, the supply of these medicines was very low but the demand was very high, so the medical practitioners made much ef...