![]() Many unqualified recruits entered the Army and diseases cruelly weeded out those who should have been excluded by physical exams. In brief, the high incidence of disease was caused by a) inadequate physical examination of recruits b) ignorance c) the rural origin of my soldiers d) neglect of camp hygiene e) insects and vermin f) exposure g) lack of clothing and shoes h) poor food and water. Soldiers were exposed to malaria when camping in damp areas which were conductive to breeding mosquitos, while camp itch was caused by insects or a skin disease. The Civil War soldier also faced outbreaks of measles, small pox, malaria, pneumonia, or camp itch. ![]() ![]() In fact, diarrhea and dysentery alone claimed more men than did battle wounds. In particular, intestinal complaints such as dysentery and diarrhea claimed many lives. For every soldier who died in battle, two died of disease. The deadliest thing that faced the Civil War soldier was disease. As a result, thousands died from diseases such as typhoid or dysentery. However, it was the tragedy of the era that medical knowledge of the 1860s had not yet encompassed the use of sterile dressings, antiseptic surgery, and the recognition of the importance of sanitation and hygiene. Medicine made significant gains during the course of the war. Yet, for the most part, the Civil War doctor (as understaffed, underqualified, and under-supplied as he was) did the best he could, muddling through the so-called "medical middle ages." Some 10,000 surgeons served in the Union army and about 4,000 served in the Confederate. Medical boards admitted many "quacks," with little to no qualification. Most Civil War surgeons had never treated a gunshot wound and many had never performed surgery. Harvard Medical School did not even own a single stethoscope or microscope until after the war. Medicine in the United States was woefully behind Europe. Generally, Civil War doctors underwent two years of medical school, though some pursued more education. During the 1860s, doctors had yet to develop bacteriology and were generally ignorant of the causes of disease.
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