Medical Care

Before the Civil War, medical care was typically practiced at home or in a doctor's individual office. Because of the massive numbers of diseased and injured in the war, hospitalization became a necessity. The two types of hospitals available for soldiers were the field hospital and the pavilion hospital. The field hospital was typically a barn or tent near the battlefield that was used for the wounded. The pavilion hospital resembled the city hospitals we have today, and they tended to those who needed long-term care for illness or injury.

The large volume of sick and injured made medical care a challenge; sanitation conditions were much less than adequate and surgeons had to choose which men to treat and which to leave alone.

The Sick >>

Source: Shotgun's Home of the American Civil War
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