History tonight at the county museum

Lecturer and former educator Victor Harris will be the speaker at History at Night at the Wayne County Old Jail Museum tonight at 7 p.m.

In his lecture, 'Surgeons Not Worth A Cure,' Harris will explain how Civil War surgeons, with a lack of time, knowledge, and basic supplies, worked to save the lives of wounded Civil War soldiers.

At the beginning of the war, there were 30 surgeons and 83 assistant surgeons in the military. After 3 surgeons and 21 assistant surgeons resigned to follow the South, civilian doctors enlisted on both sides to help fill the void of medical personnel. Fought at a time when medical schooling consisted of two years of lectures and no hands-on experience, doctors discovered that the fastest way to help the greatest number of wounded was to perform surgery. The most often used surgery was amputation.

At the end of the war, the surgeons who had risked their lives treating others, were called butchers and other derogatory terms.

The public is invited to attend this free event but reservations are required as seating space is limited. Zappia Vending Service Inc. and the Society will provide refreshments for the event. To make reservations or receive a complete listing of historical lectures for 2004, call the Society at 315.946.4943, Monday-Friday, from 10 to 4. The County Museum is located at 21 Butternut Street, Lyons.

top of page

Copyright © 2003
Courier-Gazette, 613 S. Main St. Newark, N.Y. 14513 - 315-331-1000
All Rights Reserved