By: Alison Daniels & Alyssa Griesbaum

Civil War Surgery Tools

Doctor’s AspectDuring Civil War times doctors were given a bad name.

People referred to them as butchers because basically they would saw off the limb that was infected or had been injured. Doctors wanted to help but they couldn’t. Without the right tools, working conditions, and time a good and proper amputation just wasn’t possible. The tools they were given were assorted types of saws and needles, the working conditions were horrible. The tables barely got cleaned, the rags used were all bloody, and the water used to clean the instruments was bloody bath water which helped spread infection. The limbs were thrown into piles and were carried off and buried, or so the doctors were told. Doctors only had so much time to amputate because there were many patients needing surgery and there was only a few hours of light each day. Doctors wanted to help them but some of the doctors weren’t even doctors. They were just people who wanted to help and went to a couple days of training and were given tools and sent on their merry way.

Amputation Images

Ambutation Video Link

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpGWqJ2ue3I

Amputation sawUsed for resection of large bones of the leg or arm.

Bone BrushUsed to remove saw dust from the cutting site.

Bone fileUsed for smoothing edges and lifting out parts of bones.

Bullet probeUsed to find let bullets by touching and marking the porcelain on the tip of the probe, the lead would leave a mark on the tip & they would know a bullet was there .

Chain sawUsed for cutting bone in tight spaces.

TrephineUsed for opening the skull bone (cranium).

Hey SawUsed to cut into the skull bone.

Tissue RetractorsUsed to hold back muscle during resection of the bone.

TenaculumUsed to hook arteries to pull them out enough to tie them off.

TrocarUsed for bladder puncture or drainage of a body cavity.

TourniquetsUsed to compress arteries above the cut during amputation