America at War: From Cannon Balls to Drones - How Warfare Changed The Future of Healthcare

By Bud Hunton

Prepare to be surprised. America at War from Cannon Balls to Drones will illustrate amazing facts about the ten wars our country has survived with amazing results. Although wars are infamous for loss of life and injury, the author will provide factual information on the various ways that each war produced improvements in methodology and treatment of injuries, illness and improved the outcome for millions of Americans. New technology from each war will be discussed as well as how we dealt with the Spanish pandemic of 1918 and how it compared with our current battle with the COVID-19 virus. In the early years of war (1775–1783), medical care took a turn for the worse with the majority of soldiers dying from disease due to unsanitary conditions. In 1812, the typical soldier still died from infectious diseases such as dysentery, typhoid, and pneumonia—the number one killer at the time. Eventually, handwashing would be introduced, reducing infections and saving lives. Other early medical improvements would include anesthesia, tourniquets, amputations, prosthetics, and embalming. Amputations saved more lives than any other wartime medical procedure. Later wars will see the invention of technology such as sonar (ultrasound), radar, and thermography, to name a few.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781649523730

Book preview

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America at War

From Cannon Balls to Drones - How Warfare Changed The Future of Healthcare

Bud Hunton

Copyright © 2020 Bud Hunton

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books, Inc.

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2020

ISBN 978-1-64952-372-3 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64952-373-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

The War of 1812 (1812–1815)

Mexican American War (1846–1848)

The American Civil War (1861–1865)

The Spanish-American War (April 21–August 13, 1898)

World War I (1914–1918)

World War II (1939–1945)

Korean War (1950–1953)

Vietnam War (1959–1975)

The Gulf War (1990–1991)

Prologue

Our country has participated in a least ten wars since the country was founded. Although wars are historically known for death and destruction, the fact remains that mankind has managed to find lifesaving and life-improving applications during wartime. The author will provide information regarding the advancement of instruments of war as well as medical applications that were spin-offs of wartime devices. Information presented is both documented through current media and, in many cases, by the author through his personal experiences, including twenty years as a Navy hospital corpsman, followed by twelve years as a radiology administrator, followed by twenty-two years as a college educator. The wars to be discussed will include

the Revolutionary War (1775–1783),

the War of 1812 (1812–1815),

the Mexican-American War (1846–1848),

American Civil War (1861–1865),

Spanish-American War (1898),

World War I (1914–1918),

World War II (1939–1945),

Korean War (1950–1953),

Vietnam War (1959–1975), and

Gulf War (1990–1991).

Author’s Note

This book was written during the time the US was invaded by the coronavirus in March 2020. The last time that our country and several others were invaded by a pandemic with such deadly impact was in 1918 at the end of World War I. The Spanish flu killed fifty million people upward. As of July 9, 2020, there has been 3,158,932 cases of the COVID-19 diagnosed in the US with 134,862 deaths and 1,392,679 recovered. At this point, a cure has not been found and scientist are working on a vaccine for the virus. The country has been in lockdown. Schools and businesses are closed with millions laid off. Forbes released a statement that forty-seven million people could be let go, which would lead to an unemployment rate of 31.1 percent higher than the Great Depression’s rate of 24.9 percent.

The Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

The Revolutionary War officially began in 1775 and ended in 1783. There were several events that led up to the war including the Boston Massacre, the Stamp Act, the French and Indian War, the Boston Tea Party, and the Declaration of Independence, to name a few. In the 1700s, the commonly used weapons included muzzle-loading muskets in the form of rifles and pistols. The cannon was a highly effective weapon throughout the war and was key to the American victory. Cannons used during the American Revolutionary War came in balls that were 4, 6, 8, and 12 pounds and had a range of 600 to 1,800 yards.

The destructive minié ball bullets used in the war had a tendency to shatter bones and limbs, and amputation was often the best option in the face of infection and sepsis.

During the Revolutionary War, medical care took a turn for the worse. The general population had no medical training and cared for the sick and injured. The dead were carried out of their beds, and another injured soldier took his place without washing sheets or sanitizing anything in the area.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, and there was proclamation the independence of the thirteen colonies from British rule.

The majority of soldiers died of illness other than wounds because of unsanitary conditions. Keep in