GDG- Civil War Medical Question

[Tom Ryan]

We¹re looking for a good general Civil War medical question, and someone
suggested that we ask if there were thermometers during the Civil War, and
how many?  Evidently they were used then, but there were only about a dozen.

Does anyone know if this is true?  And, by a dozen, does that mean both
armies had a dozen each, did only the Union army have them, or what?

Ginny,

	This is what Alfred Jay Bollet, M.D. says about themometers in his book
"Civil War Medicine:  Challenges and Triumphs:

	(page 38) "One of the persistent false impressions is that Civil War
physicians were unaware of contemporary European medical science.  Critics
allege they did not know how to use modern diagnostic equipment such as the
stethoscope, microscope, clinical thermometer, and ophtahalmoscope.
Actually...Civil War physicians were as aware of these instruments as were
their international counterparts."

	(page 65) "Civil War physicians are also criticized for their failure to
use even the few thermometers they had.  Yet they were by no means behind
their contemporaries in Europe in this regard.  Thermometers were cumbersome
to use, as they were usually placed in the armpit for a long period of time,
and so were just "not used very much."  Body temperature was ascertained
only during the investigation of unusual diseases...."

	I purchased this book at the CW Medical Musuem in Frederick, MD.  They
consider it the best book on CW medicine and medical practices.  This book
does not give a specific number of themometers available during the CW.
Whatever number there were, it appears they would not have been used much
anyway.  It may be worth a call to the museum in Frederick for additional
information.  Their number is (301) 695-1864; email museum at civilwarmed.org.

Regards, Tom Ryan