Revolutionary War Medical Issues The Epidemiological Issues While the Continental Army Fought Against the British Army and their Allies including German Mercenary Forces known as Hessians.

How Does Science Apply to Warfare Especially During the Revolutionary War? The First Science Would be the Science of Forensics. This meaning how the human body is affected by a weapon or weapons system. During the Revolutionary War Firearms were Flint Lock Black Powder fired weapons. The average Musket was a smooth bore weapon that had a 30 inch barrel that was .71 caliber that shot anything from a round lead ball that weighed about an ounce or what ever that was being loaded at the time. Usually mounted at the end of the musket was a bayonet that had about a 16 inch blade. Flintlock fire weapons were notorious for not firing and were slow to reload, so the bayonet was used often. The Officers used swords, which depending on how they were used would inflict would depend on the way the person was struck, slashed or stabbed.

Science of the Revolutionary War and 18th Century Warfare Continued Battles fought in the European tradition of warfare required the troops to be extremely disciplined and would stand shoulder to shoulder and in 3 ranks in order to produce firepower. Since the muskets were pointed in the general direction of the enemy and fired the chance of getting from the person in front of you was slim. The chance of getting hit by someone 1 or 3 people over was great. THINK OF A GIANT SHOT GUN BLAST BUT THE LEAD BALL PROJECTILE IS BOUNCEING DOWN THE BARREL AND WHERE IT HITS KNOWBODY KNOWS. Just to add in additional fun most field cannon fire was a 3-5 inch lead ball fired from a smooth bore and weighing 3-5 pounds minimum and can tear you in half or remove what ever appendage is hit.

Science of the Revolutionary War Most of the wounded that died during the Revolutionary War if they were not killed outright from their wounds, died of shock. This was because of poor bleeding control, causing Hypovolemic Shock. Those that were unfortunate enough to be taken to the Surgeon would die of Septic Shock after the Surgeon using the same Scalpel/Knife and Saw that he used on the last poor soul that Had performed an amputation on. These patients did not have the benefit of anesthesia and there was no sterile or clean technique utilized. The instruments were never cleaned or sterilized and the patient was placed on the same bloody table that the last patient was placed on.

What Types of Bacteria Do You Think That These Patients Were Exposed To? Clostridium Tetanus Staphylococci Streptococci A / B Anthrax Botulinum Toxin Enterococci Giardia

Viruses That Affected the Soldiers of the Smallpox Chicken Pox(Varicella) Yellow Fever Malaria Herpes Syphilis and Gonorrhea (Bacterial/But There were no anti-biotics) Hepatitis A Louse Bourne Diseases Along with the problems of carrying a parasite load. Dysentery

18th Century Medicine and Practices Bleeding their patients Opium Mercury Other Patent Medicines A TRIP TO THE DOCTOR OR SURGEON COULD KILL YOU.

Let us Explore the Conditions That These Soldiers Lived in. Clothing was inadequate for the seasons and in adequate shelter from the elements. Most Soldiers shoes disintegrated and they would wrap their feet in rags Poor food quality especially the rations . Poor food service sanitation Water sources were polluted with feces, dead bodies, and other disease ridden materials. The soldiers suffered from Hypothermia during the Winter and Hyperthermia during the Summer

Current Warfighters How Technology Has Improved Their Life Expectancy. Most of today’s trauma care has been learned from the lessons since WWI, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and our personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan have a higher survival rate due to Body Armor, and improved medical care in the field and rapid transport to a surgical facility. We have also improved our sanitation and with the advent of anti-biotics most of our patients survive their infections.

References http://www.history.army.mil/books/RevWar/ss/hamilton.htm http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=88 http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/history/history02.htm http://digitalcommons.apus.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1206&context=saberandscroll http://www.tehistory.org/hqda/html/v26/v26n3p090.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1808544/pdf/bullnyacadmed00103-0023.pdf https://sites.google.com/a/g.coppellisd.com/disease-and-medical-care-during-the-revolutionary- war/yellow-fever https://www.amrevmuseum.org/read-the-revolution/history/fighting-infection https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1863584/ http://teachers.yale.edu/curriculum/viewer/initiative_10.06.02_u I would strongly suggest watching , The Crossing from 2000 with Jeff Daniels, as General Washington as it shows Alexander Hamilton the young Military Officer.