I’m fascinated by the wartime medical practices, though they are generally shudder-inducing.   These reenactors bring up a point I’ve never thought about from my modern, accessible viewpoint.

The “amputee” in this case was only concerned with whether he would live, but medical re-enactor Trevor Steinbach said in other cases soldiers would protest that they were losing their livelihood.

“You can’t do a lot of chores on a farm with no arms,” he said.

(You’ve got to love how relaxed that amputation patient looks in the pictures – the guy’s clearly not a method actor.)

via Civil War surgery re-enactors wow library visitors – LaSalle News Tribune – LaSalle, IL.