Results tagged “U.S. Army General Hospital” from York Town Square

The Civil War-era U.S. Army General Hospital became a major site for treatment because of its proximity to Virginia and Maryland, where many battles took place, and its location on a major rail line. Here, convalescents pose in one of the hospital wards at the Penn Park complex. The military hospital is an example of a York County history topic awaiting study. Background posts: Civil War nurse: 'Dogs of War in our midst' and Not all rebel wounded suffered after Gettysburg.

Many people use New Year's to kick off historical research projects.

My York Sunday News column Looking for a local history research project? probed several topics ripe for research focusing on York's Civil War-era military hospital.

The following is a sampling of topics from York County history awaiting further exploration or publication of existing research:

York Hospital's Dr. Douglas Arbittier shows a 1730s-vintage saw used to amputate limbs. He will demonstrate saws from his collection on a History Channel program. See History Channel for programming.

Douglas Arbittier has collected surgical saws and bloodletting devices for years. He even has a Web site to show off his collection.

His collection gives a poignant view of progress in medicine and the horrors of war.

York County, of course, is historically in tune with such horrors. In fact, the the U.S. Army Military Hospital operating in York during the Civil War had its own collection of surgical saws... .