A.Weapons Technology advanced more rapidly during the Civil War than battle field tactics and medical practices. 1)This led to extremely high casualty rates on the battle field. 2)Diseases, however, caused the most deaths in the war. i.2x as many men died of disease as died of battle field wounds. ii.The leading killers were typhoid fever, dysentery, and prolonged boughts of diarrhea Weapons Technology

The Minnie Ball A.The French army officer Claude-Etienne Minié invented the Minié bullet in B. It was a cylindrical bullet with a hollow base that expanded when fired C. The Minnie Ball was lethally accurate over relatively long distances D. During the American Civil War in 1861, both Union and Confederate soldiers used the "minnie" bullet in their muzzle-loading rifles.

The Gatling Gun A.Gatling gun- one of the earliest machine guns. 1)Developed during the American Civil War 2)Early machine guns could fire more than 120 shots per minute. 3)They were fired using a hand crank 1)Early machine guns had many mechanical glitches 1)They were heavy and unwieldy 2)They tended to overheat 3)They were difficult to use 4)Much like my wife

Ironclad Ships A.Ironclads were ships covered with iron. 1)These ships were a major improvement over wooden ships 2)Ironclads made wooded hulled ships obsolete 3)The invention of these ship introduced a new age in naval warfare B.The First two ironclads to meet in battle were the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (The Merrimack) 1)The sea battle these two ships fought in was called the Battle of Hampton Roads

The Horrors of Civil War Surgery Soft lead bullets caused most Civil War battle wounds, often leaving broken and splintered bones and large, ragged holes in the body. If a soldier was shot in the head, chest or stomach, is chances for survival were slim. Because of the extensive damage to bone and muscle tissue, wounded arms and legs often had to be amputated—as quickly as possible to minimize suffering and loss of blood. Like Northern doctors, Confederate physicians used ether and chloroform to anesthetize patients for surgery. But when supplies ran out, they operated without anesthesia. Not surprisingly, many soldiers feared surgery more than death itself. Unaware of how infections develop, doctors operated without washing hands or sterilizing tools. They rinsed wounds with water contaminated by the pus and blood of other patients. In fact, infected wounds were so common that physicians thought pus was a necessary part of the healing process. Even when an operation went well, some patients died of tetanus, blood poisoning or gangrene afterward.

Civil War Amputation Kit Mexican Civil War amputation kit belonging to Dr. John King. 7th Prov. Reg't. Enrolled in Missouri Milita, Dr. King was from Mt. Vernon, Missouri. And enlisted in Springfield Missouri on November 1, 1863.

Civil War Amputation Kit Upper tray: 1. Bone dust brush 2. Amputation saw 3. Handle for small trephine 4. Trepanning scalpel 5. Hey saw for trepanning 6. Gouging bone chisel 7. Trepanning elevator 8. Straight end bone chisel 9. Trepanning raspatory 10 & 11. Chain saw handles (2) 12. Olive arterial forceps 13. Bandage or tissue scissor 14. Trephine head (small) Lower tray: 15. Chain saw blades 16. Bone holding forceps 17. Liston Bone forceps (heavy) 18. Bone rongeur forceps 19. Set of bone drills (4) with handle 20. Liston knee curve cutting forceps 21. Bone chisel mallet

Civil War Amputation Kit Removable tray: 22. Handle for large trephine 23. Trephine head (large) 24. Tourniquet (brass frame) w/strap 25. Set of muscle retractors (2) 26. Needles, suture, bone wax compartment 27. Aneurysm needle holders 28. Scalpels, Bistouries, tenaculeum 29. Amputation knives, catlin, finger saw 30. Spare bone saw blade

Tools of a Surgeon: Amputation Kit Tourniquet – used to stop the blood flow so patients would not bleed out during operations & amputations

Tools of a Surgeon: Amputation Kit Knives – came in various sizes for the different body parts they were used on Used to cut soft tissue in major and minor operations Came in two pieces - blade and handle –Septic waist got caught in the attaching parts of these knives leading to infection

Tools of a Surgeon: Amputation Kit Forceps- used for seizing and holding divided vessels after an operation and for closer.

Tools of a Surgeon: Amputation Kit Bone saws –Saw used for cutting through bone. –Varied in size and shape depending on size and location of bone

Tools of a Surgeon: Amputation Kit Bone Forceps – rounding the edges in amputations –Gnawing off projecting parts that were not accessible to other instruments.

Amputation: Surgeons Guide

Death by Disease People remember the Civil War for its tragically high casualty rates Approximately 1,200,000 in all Among soldiers, disease actually killed far more men than battlefield wounds. 1 in 4 men died after an amputation Bacterial infection caused death “Surgical fevers” were a result of un-sterilized equipment.

Amputations Amputated limbs often were thrown outside of medical tents Piles of amputated limbs could be found near medical tents.

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