Gunpowder Dimension
By the 16th century warfare without gunpowder weapons had become unthinkable. Naturally, wounds from gunpowder weapons were, for the most part, more debilitating than those inflicted by cold weapons. From a medical standpoint, a typical wound inflicted by metal shot is a lot more complicated than a cut or a stabbing wound inflicted by sword or spear.
Unfortunately for the soldiers in the 16th Century, medicine did not develop at the same pace as the ability of man to debilitate fellow man. However, in the 16th Century army surgeons and doctors were the most experienced and knowledgeable medical practitioners available. Also, military medicine as we know it today has its roots in the 16th century.
Surgical Practices in the 16th Century
The first illustrated treatise on surgery was published in 1517 (Manual of Military Surgery written by Hans von Gersdorff). Many new techniques were developed to deal with wounds inflicted by gunpowder weapons at that time as well. Still, wounded soldiers were almost always in for an extremely gruesome experience. The surgeon's tools were saws, a brace and a bit and a whole plethora of sharp, ominous looking instruments. Wounded soldiers faced the prospect of excruciating pain because there were no anesthetics at that time.
Amputation was the most common procedure and would remain so until the 20th century. Early in the 16th century most surgeons thought that the only solution to stop the bleeding and prevent infection after the amputation was to burn the flesh around the amputation area. In the second part of the century it was discovered that painting the amputation area with thick animal fat produced the same effect without causing as much pain. Artificial limbs were also becoming increasingly available but they were usually very expensive.
Medical Care for Soldiers
It is in the nature of military medicine that injuries often have to be treated near the battlefield. In those early years of modern military medicine only Spain cared properly for her soldiers. Spain was at war with the Netherlands from 1572 to 1659 and the soldiers fighting in that conflict had the best medical care provided to soldiers in the world. Teams of trained doctors and surgeons accompanied Spain’s armies wherever they went.
Spanish soldiers in the Netherlands could also use the services of the first military hospital in Europe, at Mechelen (modern Belgium). The hospital was a well run affair with 330 beds and a staff between sixty and a hundred. Nowhere else in Europe were soldiers treated as successfully for everything ranging from dysentery, through combat injuries to psychological disorders and battle trauma. Syphilis is by no means a battle related illness but it was very common among Spanish troops in the Netherlands and the hospital received a special government grant to treat it.
Other countries did not put as much effort into providing care for their soldiers, if any at all.
In that sense military medicine would not be what it is today had it not been for those pioneering, and successful steps taken by Spain in the 16th Century.
Sources
Health Care and Poor Relief in Counter Reformation Europe, Jon Arrizabalaga, Andrew Cunningham, Ole Peter Grell (Routledge 1999)
Thomas Morgan - Thomas Morgan is a professional soldier turned translator / writer. After leaving the service he earned a BA in English and MA in History. ...
