BLACKSBURG, Va. - From traumatic injuries and widespread infection to epidemics and hygiene, the American Civil War was the spawning ground for a number of modern medical practices. On March 31-April 1, physicians from throughout Virginia will gather in Roanoke to examine the influence of the mid-1800s conflict on their profession.
They will be participating in the First Annual Civil War Medical Symposium, organized by Virginia Techs Virginia Center for Civil War Studies under an educational grant from Merck & Company. The symposium has been approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians for elective credit hours and by the Lewis-Gale Foundation CME Organization for continuing medical education credit.
"Learning from the past is the key to understanding the present and anticipating the future. That is as true for medicine as for all fields of study," said James I. Robertson, Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of history at Virginia Tech and director of the Civil War center.
On Saturday, four physicians will talk about specific medical advances resulting from the war. Dr. Donald Zedalis, a Christiansburg physician who specializes in allergy/immunology and sleep disorders, will speak on "From Hippocrates to the American Civil War: Why Physicians Thought the Way They Did." Dr. Zedalis will look at the evolution of the scientific method of medical research, which evolved in the mid-19th century, and the persistence of thousand-year-old theories.
Dr. John M. Gregg, an oral/maxillofacial surgeon in Blacksburg, will give a presentation on "Phantoms, Fires, Fingers, and Feet," which will examine Civil War surgeon Weir Mitchells observations on nerve injuries from penetrating wounds. Mitchells work laid the groundwork for modern understanding of the clinical features, pathophysiology, and treatment of neuropathic pain.
Dr. Charles L. Cooke,, a rheumatoid-arthritis specialist with the McGuire Medical Group in Richmond, will lecture on "Smallpox: From Epidemic to Eradication to Possible Biological Warfare?" His presentation will look at Surgeon General Samuel Preston Moores initiation of an extensive vaccination program for Confederate soldiers and at the future of smallpox.
Dr. E. Randolph Trice, a retired Richmond dermatologist, will talk about "A Remarkable Surgeon, A Remarkable Patient: The Wounding of Major R. Snowden Andrews." Andrews was severely wounded at the battle of Cedar Mountain when a shell fragment ripped open his abdominal wall. Set aside to die by field physicians, Andrews was saved by the innovative work of a regimental surgeon.
On Friday night, the opening presentation, "Civil War Medicine: An Overview," will be delivered by Robertson, a nationally noted Civil War historian and author twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. "For every soldier killed in action during the Civil War, two men died behind the lines from sickness and disease. That bloodiest of American wars was a medical hell in many respects. Yet it gave rise to a host of modern medical practices. Civil War medicine offers an almost unlimited area for investigation and discussion," Robertson said.
The two-day event will be held at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center.