The American Civil War has been called the world’s first modern conflict, ushering in the age of ironclad ships, hot air balloons, railroads, trench warfare and repeating firearms. The Civil War also saw the advent of modern medicine where doctors in both blue and gray uniforms applied new knowledge and technology to alleviate human suffering. Join Chris Keenan, in his recreation of a Union Army Surgeon, as he tells the story of those doctors who blazed the way for modern medical science. Topics discussed will include medical examinations and qualification for military personnel, dietary issues, sanitary conditions, diseases and infection control, surgical procedures, the use of anesthesia, battlefield triage, the ambulance corps, and even dispel some of the myths which have persisted regarding Civil War Surgeons.

New Fairfield resident Chris Keenan is a veteran of the US National Park Service with over 25 years of historical interpretation and living history experience. He is currently a licensed mental health practitioner and an adjunct professor of human services at SNHU.