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What's Health Got to Do with It?

Emergency medicine then and now: From Civil War battlefields to everyday frontlines

General Hospital, Gettysburg, August, 1863
Library of Congress
General Hospital, Gettysburg, August 1863.

Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War with over 50,000 casualties amassing over the three-day conflict. Field surgeons were overwhelmed with patients and armed with little more than courage and primitive surgical tools. A historian unearths the tales of battlefield innovation, sacrifice and resilience that helped shape modern medicine. She explores what life was like for Civil War surgeons, the split-second decisions they faced and how their work resonates in modern trauma care.

Guest:

Then, a mother and her son turn a challenging diagnosis into a movement to empower and educate others. What began as hives from mashed bananas escalated into life-threatening reactions to more than 15 common foods, including peanuts, milk, wheat and eggs. Colin and Christine Hood share their journey of constant vigilance and creative problem-solving. They offer practical insights for parents and schools working to keep kids with life-threatening allergies safe.

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