What were the medical facilities like in Civil War?

Medical facilities during the Civil War were often overcrowded, understaffed, and lacked basic supplies. Many hospitals were located in churches, schools, and other public buildings that were not designed for medical care. The wounded were often treated in unsanitary conditions, and there was a high risk of infection.

Surgeons had limited knowledge of anesthesia and sterile technique, and they often performed amputations and other major surgeries without any pain relief. The mortality rate in Civil War hospitals was extremely high, and many soldiers died from infections, diseases, or complications from surgery.

Some of the more common medical conditions treated in Civil War hospitals included:

* Gunshot wounds

* amputations

* fractures

* burns

* diarrhea

* dysentery

* pneumonia

* typhus

* smallpox

* measles

During the Civil War, the Union Army created a system of field hospitals that were located close to the front lines. These hospitals provided triage and emergency care for the wounded, and they helped to reduce the mortality rate. Union hospitals were also better supplied and staffed than Confederate hospitals, and they had a higher survival rate.

After the Civil War, the lessons learned from the conflict led to improvements in medical care both in the military and in civilian hospitals.