Confederate Hospitals

The Confederacy was quicker to establish a medical corp than the Union…

…but was a disadvantage due to the lack of resources

Conditions

care

• The most common injury was shot wound
• Unless minor, this led to amputation
• This would prevent infections; no antibiotics
• Extra skin was stitched over the wound
• Partially sedated with chloroform or alcohol

Amputation Fatality Rate

Two-thirds of soldiers died of disease and not wounds!

There were not enough surgeons to handle all the injured people

The Confederate only had 24 registered doctors; willing to take anyone who considered himself a physician

Infection

Infection was a huge problem. Doctors thought pus was a good sign. Transferred to people who didn't have it

Called it:
Laudable Pus

Germ theory

Germ Theory was largely denied in the medical profession until after the war

Samuel A. Cartwright

Honored for his investigation in yellow fever and Asiatic Cholera.

Lafayette Guild

Was Chief Surgeon and Medical Director of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Pa. Campaign under Robert E. Lee

The end