He Ran Out of Cauterizing Oil, and It Changed Medicine

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We have the Civil War to thank in part for America's embrace of embalming—the practice gained popularity as it was the only viable way to preserve the bodies of fallen Northern soldiers for the long journey home. At STAT, Leah Samuel echoes that idea: that the battlefield has served as a scene of devastation, but also innovation, from a medical perspective. 

The injuries can be extreme, and the available tools are often no match for what's found in a brick-and-mortar hospital. That's led to what she writes are six practices that began amidst war but were successful enough to find their way into our hospitals. 

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