About Medicines Used in the Civil War
Injuries, particularly gunshot wounds, are often thought of as the cause of most casualties during the American Civil War. However, illness claimed far more lives, probably due to the squalid conditions of military camps. Physicians had a wide variety of medications at their disposal to treat sick and injured soldiers, some of which are still used today. Many were effective but crude treatments; others had only a placebo effect.
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Time Frame
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The American Civil War lasted for four years, from April 1861 until April 1865. Medical technology was extremely limited by today's standards, and little was known about the causes of illness and infection. As a result, physicians made no attempt to maintain sterility, or even cleanliness, when treating soldiers. Most doctors of this era did not attend medical school; instead, they trained as apprentices. The few who did attend medical school usually received inadequate training.
Type
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Anesthetics were widely available during the Civil War, and most commonly used during amputations. The most commonly used anesthetics included chloroform, morphine, opium, and if nothing else was available, liquor. Alcohol was also believed to counteract shock, among other conditions, and was the most commonly prescribed "drug" during this era. Most treatments for communicable diseases involved herbal remedies such as belladonna, arnica, pokeweed and elderberries. Antibiotics were not yet available during the Civil War.
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Risk Factors
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Aside from the ineffectiveness of many treatments, others were quite risky; by modern standards, many were barbaric. Hydrochloric or sulfuric acid was sometimes used to treat infected wounds; the acid was poured over the area, burning away the affected tissue. Although effective, this treatment was extremely painful and caused severe scarring. The frequent use of opioids, particularly morphine given by injection, is believed to be responsible for the dramatic rise in drug addiction during the years following the Civil War.
Expert Insight
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"Blue mass" was one of the most commonly used remedies during the Civil War. Although the ingredients that went into blue mass varied tremendously, it always contained a substantial amount of mercury, which is now known to be quite toxic. Blue mass was used as a treatment for numerous conditions, including constipation, toothache and "consumption" (tuberculosis). One Civil War surgeon was said to have carried a lump of blue mass in one pocket, and a lump of opium in the other. Soldiers with diarrhea were given opium, and those who were constipated were given blue mass. Nearly every soldier the doctor encountered received one of these treatments.
Evolution
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Many medications that were commonly used during the Civil War have gone the way of "blue mass" and are virtually unheard of today. Others, such as morphine and related drugs, proved effective and are still used in modern medical practice. Atropine, an alkaloid of belladonna, is now used for several applications, including pupil dilation during modern eye exams. Baking soda continues to be used as a home remedy for the same condition it was used for during the Civil War -- upset stomach.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Creative Commons image by Gaetan Lee
