Evolution of Amputations throughout US History Alyssa Hallett

Amputating dates back to c.460-c.370 BCE, it was not a new medical procedure that was unheard of. What it did do though and what I’m going to be talking about is the evolution of amputations during American history, during the Civil War, World War one, and the Vietnam War. Now a game changer when it came to amputations during the Civil War was anesthesia it became commonly used in order to ease the pain for soldiers. As well as the sanitation during the procedures and equipment developed making the amputation less painful and an easier process for everyone. The development of prosthetics when a soldier had to lose a limb do to the risk of infection helped soldiers be able to come back to their families and friends and live as much of a normal life as possible. Before prosthetics were developed a lot of soldiers before would lose their jobs due to not being able to work as efficiently. Wives would divorce their husbands due to them not being able to provide for the house hold. It was an overall tragic story for many soldiers that went and fought for their country only to not be able to go back to the life they once had before the war.