foragers

[bgent]

Im sure it was the foragers job to procure the HERBAL (only) medical provisions as well . Did they train volenteers to recognize what plants were needed or did they have some sort of field book? Or was this strictly a medical asstsurgeon (logistics) problem. Who did the actual gathering and how did they know what to gather.

[hta1970]

The collection and preparation of indigenous remidies by and for the Confederate medical service was handled by Medical Purveyors at Medical Laboratories in cities like Richmond and Columbia.

This was not done in the field nor is there evidence of indigenous remidies being used in field service to any large degree. For a list of what a North Carolina surgeon was supplied with from Jun '63 through December '64 read "Darkness Ablaze." Only one indigenous remidy is listed. The rest are standards from the Pharmecopiea.

There is evidence that indigenous remidies were used to some degree in general hospitals located in cities and towns far from the field armies.

The field use of indigenous remidies beyond documented examples and the preparation and collection of indigenous remedies in the field by reenactors not a true portrayal of history.

[bgent]

thank you very much. Was under the impression that later in the war they had to forage for their medicine because of supply problems.