Tradewinds December 2016 CC Web Final

Medicines And Medical Procedures During The War Between The States
(Continued from last month)
As soldiers fell unprecedented numbers from both injuries an
disease, anesthesia became a specialty. The fi elds of plastic and
reconstructive surgery exploded. And doctors developed new ways
to treat a surge in nerve injuries and chronic pain, marking the
beginning of contemporary neurology. At the same time a visionary
surgeon forever altered the fl ow of medical treatment from battlefi eld
to hospital. Now, 150 years later, basic principals continue to affect
medical care in a wide range of situations, from bombings, to heart
attacks in grocery stores. Lincolns war medicine was every bit as
barbaric as its made out to be, and surgeons weren’t washing their
hands. “but it was a million times more modern than almost anyone
thinks, and there are a lot of lessons we can still learn from today”.
Medically the states were woefully prepared when the war
between the states began in the spring of 1861. nearly 80 years had
passed since the end of the American Revolution, the country’s last
major war. And the new confl ict was happening on a much bigger
scale. Scientist meanwhile, had yet to come up with the theory that
germs cause disease. Doctors didn’t know that they should wash
there hands before amputating limbs. As soldiers from small towns
came together in large groups, they became newly exposed to
By: Dr. Dave and Gary Riggs
pathogens that their bodies had never encountered before. But there
were no antibiotics and antiseptics.
Organizations raised money for medical supplies for the
army’s and to provide hygienic advice to army soldiers. It set an example
for organizations such as the American Red Cross that would
follow it in the future. The ambulance corps system was organized
during the war between the states by the army’s due to the efforts of
the medical director of the army. This resulted in better trained ambulance
drivers and provided quicker and better care for wounded
soldiers on the battlefi eld.
In prior American wars a soldier with any type of substantial
wound on the battlefi eld had little of hope of treatment and little
chance of survival. Field hospitals were close to the battlefi eld and
fi eld dressing stations even closer were created, providing more
immediate help for the wounded and therefore a better chance of
survival.
Comments?
E-Mail br549@modernmedianow.com
Dr. Dave is an Ivy League
Trained Executive Chef and Early
American Historian
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The Chowanoke Indians
By Duvonya Chavis
The Chowanokes were assigned to a reservation
along Bennett’s Creek in Gates County and
lived there from 1677 until the 1790’s, when the
last tract of land was sold to a neighbor. Prior to
this sale, the Chowanoke were met with continual
colonial encroachment and what started
out as 12 square miles of reservation eventually
dwindled to 6 square miles. Complaints had been
submitted to the NC Council by the Chowanoke
Chief and requests for a survey of the reservation
had been made in order to establish and protect
their boundaries. However, in spite of the several
pleas made, a survey was never conducted until
the very last parcel of land had been negotiated
for sale. This was nearly a 110 years later.
Interestingly, about ten years prior to the sale of
the fi nal parcel of reservation, a group of Chowanoke
Indians had purchased 30 acres of land
nearby to live on. This tract of land had been part
of the reservation initially and became known as
the Indian Town community. One may out of
curiosity wonder why land was purchased when
there were 400 acres of reservation left. However
one could speculate this group may have
wanted to brace themselves from the inevitable
future. As fate would have it, the reservation was
sold. The Chowanoke nation continued to live
communally on the land they had purchased for
about 40 years, until late 1821. Due to misfortune
and unethical proceedings, even the land they
had purchased was eventually
taken away from them.
With that, their communal
existence ceased. However,
many of the Chowanoke
people remained in the community
while others moved
to nearby communities.
34 Albemarle Tradewinds December 2016 albemarletradewinds.com
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