American Civil War's Death Toll, 1865

Image courtesy: Library of Congress

Of the nearly 720,000 Americans who perished in the Civil War, most died from disease and infection. Many battles were fought on manured farmland, so infections were common among the wounded. To limit their spread, limb amputations were performed at record speed. But between patients, operating tables were rarely cleaned—surgeons didn’t wash their hands or tools, either. These pervasive unhygienic practices spread disease and claimed many lives.