The confluence of developments in medical knowledge and military technology enabled doctors to learn a great deal about surgery during the American Civil War. Since, at the war’s outset, very few physicians had any experience treating gunshot wounds, P.J. Horwitz—a Jew from Baltimore and the Union navy’s surgeon general—authored a brief manual on the subject. Here are two excerpts:
Gunshot wounds include all injuries produced by firearms, and partake of the nature both of contused and lacerated wounds. The symptoms of a gunshot wound vary with the parts injured. When the wound is merely fleshy, and the mind of the individual wounded is not directed to the injury, the pain and inconvenience may be so inconsiderable as not to attract his notice, till his attention is called to his condition by the bystanders, or by some circumstances not connected with his injury. . . .
If on first seeing a patient who is wounded he is found to be much prostrated, the best thing to do is to try and soothe him by an encouraging manner, and assurances of his speedy recovery, and at the same to administer such stimulus as he requires, such as brandy and water, a little wine water and ammonia if necessary. Should he complain of much pain, a little laudanum would be serviceable; sometimes also an external warmth may be required.
Read more on Slate: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2016/07/06/p_j_horwitz_s_treatise_on_treating_gunshot_wounds_distributed_to_union_surgeons.html