Ally Bireley. Mr. Cone. Apush - 1St. 24 February 2017.

Ally Bireley Mr. Cone APUSH - 1st 24 February 2017 A Soldier’s Tale Amongst almost 3 million Civil War soldiers, over 600,000 lost their lives defending their notions of freedom and liberty in America. Approximately two-thirds of these soldiers, nonetheless, died from disease rather than wounds received on the battlefield. Lack of efficient medicine and health care caused much more impacting damage, as well as scarce, not up-to-date resources, and social divisions between the soldiers. Typically, an average Civil War soldier could expect to face extreme hardships and difficulties in their wartime lifestyles, including bad weather, unprepared, inappropriate clothing, spreading infections, and tensions regarding race and gender. Across†¦show more content†¦According to Schroeder-Lein, of the two amputation methods, Confederate doctors preferred and further developed the circular operation which was more efficient and less painful, while the Union doctors leaned toward the faster flap operation. Combined, soldiers on both sides received over 50 ,000 amputations, with a 27% mortality rate. Over time, the doctors transitioned towards performing more excisions of bone fragments and application of splints once realized that they could avoid amputations (Schroeder-Lein, 520). Also with the onset of the Civil War came the conversion of popular anesthesia from ether to chloroform, the safer substance that led to the administration of anesthesia in areas will good air circulation, like the procedure would be performed today if chloroform were the last resort (Schroeder-Lein, 613-633). Innately, soldiers feared the endless possibilities of blood loss, gangrene, et cetera, and experienced historic levels of discomfort and death. Rather it be experiencing extreme passion to discover the world, patriotism and determinism to fight for their beliefs, or simply a desire to help, many women joined the Civil War. As an amazing step of progress in history, these heroes effectively challenged traditional values