Is there any way that field medicine could've been more advanced during 1861-65, such that tens of thousands of wounded men could've survived instead of being butchered in the charnel houses which passed for hospitals ?
I think by far the best way is to introduce antiseptic methods by 1860 since so many were died or had limbs cut off to stop infections.Is there any way that field medicine could've been more advanced during 1861-65, such that tens of thousands of wounded men could've survived instead of being butchered in the charnel houses which passed for hospitals ?
General anesthesia saw widespread use, sanitation of surgical instruments with boiling water was common, and a large support system existed with specialized hospital and care systems. The state of dentistry was also extraordinarily advanced. I suggest reading Civil War Medicine: Challenges and Triumphs.