Civil War Medicine

Civil War medicine was a challenging and evolving field marked by limited understanding of germs and infection control. Doctors performed surgeries like amputations without modern anesthesia or sterile techniques, leading to high infection rates. Treatments often relied on questionable methods such as opium for pain or bleeding to balance body humors. Despite these limitations, Civil War medical personnel made advances in triage, organized hospitals, and improved record-keeping. The war highlighted the need for better sanitation and medical practices, laying groundwork for future improvements in emergency and battlefield medicine.