Every war has a devastating impact on its participants, and the effects become even more harmful when it comes to a civil war. It is so because citizens of a single country fight against one another, causing numerous problems. As for the American Civil War, it negatively influenced many citizens. Thus, thousands of people were killed, while over six million citizens were injured and suffered from multiple bacterial infections (The Civil War, efficiency, and the sanitary impulse, 1845-1870, 2001, p. 160). The American Civil War led to poor public health, but it also generated a few improvements to the health care system.
Firstly, one should mention that the Civil War reshaped the role of nurses. Before that event, they had been considered insignificant members of the medical sector. However, nursing care managed to make a difference for numerous patients, which eliminated any prejudice concerning this profession. The war showed that the nursing profession should be honored for everyone irrespective of their origin (The Civil War, efficiency, and the sanitary impulse, 1845-1870, 2001).
Secondly, the Civil War demonstrated that there were two significant causes of why people died, and they included hostilities and worsened living conditions. That is why the officials try to minimize the number of unenforced losses. Consequently, every household became familiar with “the vocabulary of sanitary knowledge and the elementary facts of hygiene” (The Civil War, efficiency, and the sanitary impulse, 1845-1870, 2001, p. 173). Finally, the war indicated the need to transform the hospital from a charity established to a curative institution that is accessible for people of all classes and origins.
In conclusion, it is possible to mention that the Civil War has a controversial impact on medicine and public health. On the one hand, millions of people became sick and injured because of hostilities. On the other hand, that state of affairs made officials contribute to the development of the health care system to lead to better outcomes. Consequently, the Civil War resulted in the improvement of American medicine.
Reference
The Civil War, efficiency, and the sanitary impulse, 1845-1870. (2001). In J. H. Warner & J. A. Tighe (Eds.), Major problems in the history of American medicine and public health: Documents and essays (pp. 159-195). Houghton Mifflin.