- Scenario 2 -
Put yourself in the shoes of Captain Meriwether Lewis. You are the leader (along with Captain William Clark). You are responsible for the well-being of the Corps, and frankly, you can’t afford to get sick. However, on such a journey, it can hardly be avoided, and on one particular occasion you feel poorly enough to write in your journal, “I was seized with a violent ague which continued about four hours and as usual was succeeded by fever which however fortunately abated in some measure by sunrise the next morning.” This is not the first time you’ve suffered from these symptoms. Sometimes the intense fever develops into chills then severe sweating. First you must DIAGNOSE your illness so that you will know how to treat yourself.
COMMON MEDICAL PROBLEMS OF THE EXPEDITION
As you might imagine, Lewis and Clark and their men encountered a great many medical problems during their 29-month journey through the previously unexplored wilderness of the American West. Click on the link to Common Medical Problems of the Expedition to explore some of the more common problems they faced, symptoms and additional information. Use this table to help you with your DIAGNOSIS. When you think you know what was wrong with you (Captain Lewis), move on to “Medical Technology at the Time of Lewis and Clark” to figure out how to treat yourself.
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AT THE TIME OF LEWIS AND CLARK
Lewis was not a doctor, but he did receive some medical training before the expedition from Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the most respected physicians of the time. However, as you will see, even among the best-trained physicians, medical technology of the early 1800s was primitive by today’s standards. Use these resources to help you develop a TREATMENT plan for yourself The selected entries from the Journals of Lewis and Clark may give you further insight into this medical challenge.
- “Medicine at the Turn of the Nineteenth Century”
- “Medical Supplies of the Lewis and Clark Expedition”
- “The Journey West”
- “The Medical World of Lewis and Clark”
- “Keys to the Medicine Chest”
- “Reliving Lewis and Clark: Surviving Winter Camp”
- “Medical Aspects of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806)
MODERN TREATMENTS FOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS COMMON DURING THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION
Click on the link to Common Medical Problems of the Expedition to find out how your condition would be treated by a doctor today. COMPARE this with the treatment Lewis probably gave himself. Reflect about why most medical experts today are amazed that only one man died during the 29-month expedition. Finally, use your notes and information to help you create your PRESENTATION.
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