Medical Library?

[Micah Trent]

Better to stick with items which look more like the originals

Excellent point. I have notices lately at several events, dealing with different impressions, wether medical, infantry, artillery, cavalry, etc., there are more and more paperback and cheap made books htting the field, mainly because that is what is affordable and available in the sutler tents. It sort of takes away from the impression. Better to by hardback reprints if available.
Just my penny and a half. Cheers!

[Jas. Cox]

Excellent point. I have notices lately at several events, dealing with different impressions, wether medical, infantry, artillery, cavalry, etc., there are more and more paperback and cheap made books htting the field, mainly because that is what is affordable and available in the sutler tents. It sort of takes away from the impression. Better to by hardback reprints if available.
Just my penny and a half. Cheers!

Has anyone ever tired stripping out the innards of a inexpensive, plain cover, period looking hardback book or leather bound journal and gluing in one of the paperback versions (Like a Playboy stuck in a Boy's Life)? I know it still wouldn't be "authentic," but maybe a little better looking? I've never tried it, but just a thought.

[Micah Trent]

Has anyone ever tired stripping out the innards of a inexpensive, plain cover, period looking hardback book or leather bound journal and gluing in one of the paperback versions (Like a Playboy stuck in a Boy's Life)? I know it still wouldn't be "authentic," but maybe a little better looking? I've never tried it, but just a thought.

It may work. Personally for me, I wouldn't. I'd rather save up and go ahead and get the hardback copy reprint, but again, that is just me.
I have seen some people reproduce some excellent works with old plain covers. I mean, some of them you cannot tell thay have rigged it up unles to you do an up-close inspection.

[fred franze]

Try to get hold of a copy of Bollet's book. This is just like a medical text, excellent, very informative.
Fred Franze

["Doc" Nelson]

I apologize for a late response. I haven't been on here in quite some time.

At any rate, regarding the statement . . I wouldn't go with the cheap-o repros. But that's me. I say, if you cannot buy originals or, very excellent repros . . don't go with books/manuals at all. Just use the ruse: "my medical library is in the baggage train" or something.

I have notices lately at several events, dealing with different impressions, wether medical, infantry, artillery, cavalry, etc., there are more and more paperback and cheap made books htting the field, mainly because that is what is affordable and available in the sutler tents. It sort of takes away from the impression. Better to by hardback reprints if available.
Just my penny and a half. Cheers!

I very much agree with both you and Harry. I think in the end, you will find more satisfaction from your impression by, "doing" your impression as authentically as possible. Plus, you won't be laughed at by some spectator (who happens to be a "student" of the Civil War).

[Micah Trent]

At an event I attended recently, I noticed a medical display set up next to this groups tent (one of the worse I have ever seen). As I approached, there was a demonstration going on for the public ( I think a procedure where they were suppose to be removing a minnie ball from the arm of a manican ) and I couldn't help but to notice four paperback medical book reprints sitting out that I have seen sutlers sell.
As the procedure continued on this quiet and motionless manican, an older man next to the table said real loud, "Hey, those ain't actual medical books are they? They look like something I could print off my computer." The man doing the procedure stopped what he was doing, looked at the man who made the point with this look to kill and said, "Well, I can't afford the real McCoy's." Needless to say that surgeon or whatever he was trying to protray was ticked for the next few hours. I am surprsied that older man didn't say anything about that manican. It looked more like those "Fred the CPR dummy's".
Doc, you are correct that the audiance are students of the CW. They too can also tell cheap-o from something more realistic.