Civil War medicine: my letter-to-the-editor

My letter-to-the-editor (Great Civil War doctors on both sides) was published at the Observer-Reporter (Washington, PA) today.  Being a Lincoln/Civil War buff and a physician; I am naturally interested in reading Civil War medicine over the years.  Harry should be considered a “contributor” of this letter as he gave me the book (Civil War Medicine) by Alfred Bollet, M.D.

The letter was a response to a feature article (‘Father of Battlefield Medicine’ was a Canonsburg native).  Canonsburg was about half an hour away from where we live.  There is presently a special exhibit (Pennsylvania Civil War, 1861-1865) at Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.

The letter began by quoting Dr. Paul Hawley, whose story I read in Dr. Bollet’s book one day, and next day I read his story again in Omar Bradley’s autobiography, A General’s Life.  Bradley was in charge of the Veteran Administration (VA) at the end of WWII and he recruited Dr. Hawley to manage the VA hospitals system.

The only point I want to make is, like the title of the letter says, there are great American doctors on both sides during the Civil War, and the same is also true when it comes to the generals or the soldiers.

I had another letter about Lincoln a couple of years ago,

http://doctorjytsai.blogspot.com/2011/03/lincoln-was-not-abolitionist-my-letter.html