Civil War Medicine

by C. Keith Wilbur

Dr. C. Keith Wilbur takes you on a detailed and fascinating tour through the medical history of this bloody and devastating war.

Genres: History, Civil War, Medicine, American Civil War, Nonfiction, Civil War History, Research

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Anie Starkel]

The content was interesting, but the font used to present it left something to be desired. I believe the idea was quill-pen script, but a good many of the words were not fully printed on the pages of the book. It made it difficult as I had to keep stopping to guess words. I would have liked to have a glossary at the end too.

[Alan]

Quick read. Not as detailed as Bleeding Blue and Gray, but many illustrations and tables listing types of medical equipment, nature of wounds and casualty figures. A nice complement to the other book.

[rjg]

I found the book very confusing and very boring. I was hoping to read about Civil War Medicine instead most of the book described the landscape which was either muddy or beautiful. The majority of the book had very little to do with Civil War Medicine. The last few parts finally discuss the specific illnesses, surgeries performed, and instruments used as well as interesting information on how a doctor got appointed to the army with rigorous exams. The last part of the book are various essays written by Civil War experts. Unfortunately they simply repeat what was said in the diary of the surgeon. The book was confusing in terms of timeline. It jumped back and forth between months and years. At some point the surgeon became a prisoner of the Confederate army but it is mentioned more than once and makes the timing of the capture confusing. Also it is unclear how
he managed to escape or be released. In my opinion, this book does not live up to its title.

[Beth Cato]

I bought this book at the Pea Ridge Civil War Battlefield near Bentonville, Arkansas, with the intent of using it as story material. Lo and behold, only a few months after purchasing it, I read it with that very goal in mind. In particular, I needed to know about Victorian battlefield practices, what a physician would carry, and other difficulties of the period. This book gave me everything I needed (and what Google could not).[return][return]The American Civil War was a time of transition in medical theory. It was a time when inflammation was regarded as a good thing, when illnesses were caused by bad spirits or air (mal-airia), and when abundant sweat was considered healthy (so Northern wives sent flannel hats for their men to wear during Southern summers). Cleanliness was also not considered a high priority. Florence Nightingale's nursing techniques in the Crimea were only a decade before, and the medical establishment did not readily change. The North did have an advantage in many ways: they founded a sanitation commission to increase camp morale and cleanliness, and they also had ready access to medicines like quinine. They were also more likely to develop new techniques in ambulances and hospital organizations. Confederate doctors soon realized that maggots may not be such a bad thing after all, as they only ate dead tissue.[return][return]The book includes artwork of the tools of the time. No medical volume on the Civil War could omit the use of bone saws. There are pictures of the various types of saws and the particular techniques used in cutting; it wasn't just a straight up and down cut, but was done with care so that extra muscle and tissue could cover the stump of bone. It also discusses injuries throughout the body, including fascinating excerpts on Abraham Lincoln's autopsy.[return][return]I was particularly interested in finding out more about germ theory of the time. Microscopes did exist and germs had been sighted (called zymes) but were thought to be a normal part of the healing process. It wasn't until after the war that Louis Pasteur made his great advances in Europe and Lister developed new sanitizing techniques, thus causing a dramatic drop in death rates.[return][return]One other curious thing about this book: I questioned buying it because the full 100-page book is done in an old-timey font. As I began to read, I quickly realized--it wasn't a font, it was hand-written! I soon became accustomed to the print and had no issues reading it.[return][return]CIVIL WAR MEDICINE obviously isn't a book for everyone, but I found it to be a great read and one I will keep on my shelf.

[Stephanie Weisgerber]

It's 1862, a year into the Civil War, and 29 year old Dr. James Fulton of Chester County, Pennsylvania has applied for an appointment as an assistant surgeon in the Union Army. He obtained a pocket diary and recorded many personal accounts of his travels and war thoughts.
I originally hoped to learn of much medical advice from a bygone era. This diary did not contain what I hoped it would in terms of medical advice, but it surprised me with it's tenderness, intimate details of war and it's affects on people, and exploits of heroism from unlikely sources. Real, raw, gritty accounts of everyday life during war time are explored here.
In Part 1 you read the diary excerpts. In part 2 there are commentators on several aspects of the diary from experts in that area which dissected and analyzed the topics therein.
I really enjoyed the thoughts Dr. Fulton had on comparisons of the dirty, poor. ragged southern states and farms compared to the sturdy, well maintained, and magnificent farms and land of the north. He asserts that the reliance on slaves had led to a laziness in the farmers of the South which was evident in the state of their farms and buildings. Dr. Fulton rhapsodized about Maryland and the Blue Ridge Mountains, where I live currently, as the most beautiful site he had ever seen, even comparing it to the garden of Eden and the creator showing off. I loved his descriptions of the place I live and how the people were back then.
This book is a fantastic intimate detail of the Civil War with special emphasis on the battle of Gettysburg. Highly recommend to anyone interested in a Doctor's take on the Civil War.

[Tom Darrow]

Good summary of basic information relating to Civil War medicine. The author takes particular focus on the holistic approach that doctors had and the various medicines they used, many of which did nothing. He seems to be gloss over the surgery and amputation section rather quickly compared to other aspects of Civil War era medicine. He also has a fairly lengthy section on women's involvement including the usual suspects like Clara Barton, but also many people I had never heard about. The diagrams and pictures are good, for the most part, although many of them are footnoted and don't need to be. Furthermore, the font itself is very annoying. It's made to look old-timey, but it makes the book somewhat difficult to read.

The sidebars (appendices) at the end of the book are helpful, particularly the charts, but some are rather unnecessary, like letters describing what the uniforms of male nurses should look like.

Overall, not a bad book. It's a quick and easy read and a good introduction for people not familiar with the Civil War.

[Christie]

Quick review: Great book with lots of information and illustrations about the state of medicine during the American Civil War. There was a lot in the book I had not heard before. Unfortunately the format was a little annoying to read. The font is this old-timey script looking font which is pretty awful to read. The author also has interesting spelling/names for things. Never in my life have I seen Fort Sumter spelled as Fort Sumpter, and I have read a ton of Civil War histories. I don't know if the author was trying to channel a real Civil War doctor or what, but it was a rough read. If you enjoy medical history, I would recommend this book with a caution about the annoying format.

[Jessica]

A fascinating look at the experience of a civil war surgeon. If you're looking for a gorey account, this is not that! Yes, there are some parts with amputations featured, but for the most part, these are Fulton's responsibilities in camp, his musings, and some lovely accounts of his experience with the natural world.

It is difficult to read in that like many transcripts, it is rife with edits that provide context, but if you can stand the edits and notations and have a love for medical history and civil war history, this is well worth the read.

[Amy]

We were talking about something from this book today in micro that made me think of it. It is absolutely fascinating! Anyone in the medical field or remotely interested in medicine should read this.

[Shawna]

Learning SO much from this book! VERY informative. Only wish it had a better glossary.

[Jocelyn Green]

Love the illustrations and diagrams. Easy to read overview, not super in depth, but a good summary.