| Powder Monkey March 2010 |
| The War for Southern Independence's Naval Side.A monthly scenario and/or information about the naval side of the war. |
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WSI Medicine
Which would you rather have taking care of you if you were sick: an
1864 Naval Doctor, either fleet, or a 2010 Policeman with only basic First Aid
training? Consider this before making your choice.
1. Most combatants in 1864 did have a Doctor assigned. None had
corpsmen. What few enlisted help the Doctors had were Landsman, the
lowest rate. Most of them were men the Army was force to sent to the Navy.
2. For both fleets medicine in 1864 was in short supply. When they did
receive medicine it was: Mercury and Chalk combo, Quinine, Opium, Sulfuric
Acid, Silver Nitrate, Belladonna, Lead Acetate, Calomel and Ipecac. Ether and
Chloroform were used during amputations. Whiskey and Brandy were often
used both to wash a wound and as a pain killer.
3. There was no basic cleanliness as is standard today. Knives and
saws were used on man after man without being cleaned in between. Doctors
wiped their bloody hands on the apron they wore all day. Cleaning of wounds
might be done.
4. Even when ‘repaired’ wounds were often fatal. Men leaning against
bulkheads when a canon ball hit the other side were vibrated to death. On
ships many men died due to having a shiver enter them. Shivers are huge
splinters - the result of masts, timbers, etc. being shattered. Due to the size of
bullets, if a bone was hit it shattered. The only known cure was amputation, an
operation that kept doctors busy. Torso hits were treated by simply giving the
man a bottle of whiskey and leaning him up against something so he died as
peacefully as possible.
Even finger and toe amputation could be fatal. The closer the amputation
was to the torso the greater the chance of the man dying later.
5. Naval Doctors usually used the Wardroom table as their operating
table.
6. The results of the above often lead to Surgical Fever - infection.
Gangrene was an even greater threat.
7. Even when not in combat ship life could be dangerous. A multi tonnage
gun might roll over a foot. Lines (ropes for land lovers) could snapped under
pressure. When parted, a line under enough tension could cut a man in half
fast enough for him to see his insides before he died.
Steam was still a new idea few understood. Pipes and boilers were not
lagged (insulated) as today. Burns and heat exhaustion were common.
The old saying Wooden Ships and Iron Men was still good in 1864. They
had to be to survive the medical treatment.
Now which do you choice?
Which would you rather have taking care of you if you were sick: an
1864 Naval Doctor, either fleet, or a 2010 Policeman with only basic First Aid
training? Consider this before making your choice.
1. Most combatants in 1864 did have a Doctor assigned. None had
corpsmen. What few enlisted help the Doctors had were Landsman, the
lowest rate. Most of them were men the Army was force to sent to the Navy.
2. For both fleets medicine in 1864 was in short supply. When they did
receive medicine it was: Mercury and Chalk combo, Quinine, Opium, Sulfuric
Acid, Silver Nitrate, Belladonna, Lead Acetate, Calomel and Ipecac. Ether and
Chloroform were used during amputations. Whiskey and Brandy were often
used both to wash a wound and as a pain killer.
3. There was no basic cleanliness as is standard today. Knives and
saws were used on man after man without being cleaned in between. Doctors
wiped their bloody hands on the apron they wore all day. Cleaning of wounds
might be done.
4. Even when ‘repaired’ wounds were often fatal. Men leaning against
bulkheads when a canon ball hit the other side were vibrated to death. On
ships many men died due to having a shiver enter them. Shivers are huge
splinters - the result of masts, timbers, etc. being shattered. Due to the size of
bullets, if a bone was hit it shattered. The only known cure was amputation, an
operation that kept doctors busy. Torso hits were treated by simply giving the
man a bottle of whiskey and leaning him up against something so he died as
peacefully as possible.
Even finger and toe amputation could be fatal. The closer the amputation
was to the torso the greater the chance of the man dying later.
5. Naval Doctors usually used the Wardroom table as their operating
table.
6. The results of the above often lead to Surgical Fever - infection.
Gangrene was an even greater threat.
7. Even when not in combat ship life could be dangerous. A multi tonnage
gun might roll over a foot. Lines (ropes for land lovers) could snapped under
pressure. When parted, a line under enough tension could cut a man in half
fast enough for him to see his insides before he died.
Steam was still a new idea few understood. Pipes and boilers were not
lagged (insulated) as today. Burns and heat exhaustion were common.
The old saying Wooden Ships and Iron Men was still good in 1864. They
had to be to survive the medical treatment.
Now which do you choice?