Clara Barton In The Civil War Essay

Compared to today’s standards, medicine in the Civil War was in the dark ages and barbaric as the stethoscope was not discovered until 1838. Most colleges taught only one yearly standard of lectures. Sitting through the same set of lectures twice in two years would result in graduation, and the ability to practice medicine. Not much was known about battle wounds, antiseptics, and sanitation since medical thinking was centered on the bowels and bladder during the 1800’s. The number of deaths in the Civil War totaled 624,571, due in part to the lack of sanitation knowledge and “no universally recognized professional standards for doctors,” existed. More deaths were caused from infections and disease accounting for two out of three deaths by the end of the war. In the 19th century, much of the medical
Both Stephen and Sara Barton were involved in charity work, encouraging their children to get into the service field. Clara Barton, the fifth child, grew up helping to nurse her ill or injured siblings back to health. A “Victorian sense of decorum” prevented Clara Barton from disguising herself as a man in order to join the Union Army. With the military influence of her father, Barton felt that she needed to do something. Before his passing, the Barton family gave young Clara Barton their blessing to assist in the war efforts. Stephen Barton gave his daughter his Masonic emblem, advising her “I know soldiers, and they will respect you and your errand.” She wanted to be a nurse, but her independent nature was not suitable to work under the strict direction of Dorothea Dix. Barton volunteered her time to soldiers bringing them food and advertising in newspapers for supplies to aid the wounded soldiers. Her advertisements were answered by many charities sending her “bandages, medicine, food, lanterns, and other