Existing comment:
Chest and Abdominal Wounds:
Chest and abdominal wounds were nearly always fatal. Treatment of abdominal wounds often involved pushing in protruding organs and suturing the wound. Food was withheld because fecal material leaking from the intestines caused contamination. Opium was often administered to halt the action of the digestive system. Abdominal wounds were fatal in almost 90% of the cases reported by Union surgeons. Chest wounds were cleaned, and the wound was sutured. |