Today we happened to pass by an American Civil War Medical Hospital Museum in Gordonsville. We stopped and paid the entry fee of 10 bucks each, and had a self-guided tour (that is code for, "you walk round and have a look"). It was actually used as a Receiving Hospital for casualties of the Civil War.
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| Civil War Medical Museum |
A very interesting museum giving a good overview of the American Civil War.
Now, I was beginning to wish I'd paid more attention in my history lessons with "Mungo" Melly, our history teacher way back when slates were still in use and I scratched on the slate with a sharp point. It was my first step towards owning a swiss army knife. I recall learning about the Boston Tea Party, and General Lee, and various battles, Unionists, Confederates, etc, - The but sadly, the detail really escapes me now.
The museum curator was delightfully helpful to us, with our ignorance of her country's history.
To make things even more interesting, the BBC show "Hairy Bikers" will feature this museum on September 9, 2016.
Upstairs housed various implements of torture, or should I say "of surgery"?
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| Surgical tools! |
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| Urethral dilators, whatever they are, of different widths! Ouch! |
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| An early ambulance. |
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| Amputee Tim |
The age of anaesthesia was only just dawning! Amputations were conducted with little more than a swig of alcohol for the patient. Surgeons sharpened their scalpels on their boots. And sponges were used time and time again, from one patient to another. No wonder infections spread, and the mortality rate was high!
There were things on display that included hand-saws, cutters, splints, syringe things for administering enemas (I feel faint now), and more!
Passing through to north Virginia we saw some of the most beautiful countryside.
We even saw a bear! Not a very large one. Probably still a juvenile, that hadn't learned to cross the road yet. And despite being told NEVER to tamper with bear cubs....I couldn't help myself in having a look.
I spun Harvey round on a handbrake turn, and raced back up the road to check if it was a bear.
Ruth wasn't happy about this at all, because of the warnings we'd had.
But, like any man, I went to the site, leaving Ruth to make as much noise as possible if the mother turned up.
Yes! A bear!
He was dead by the side of the road, but Ruth would rather say it was asleep at the side of the road for the sake of any children reading this.....too late!
But at least we can say that we saw a bear while over in USA.
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