Publication details
War injuries from the Napoleonic battles in Moravia
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2014 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | War Injuries from Past to Present |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Archaeology, anthropology, ethnology |
| Keywords | Napoleonic wars; skeletal remains; Austerlitz 1805; Znojmo 1809; gunshot wounds; posttraumatic complications; amputations; Karel von Kopal (1788–1848). |
| Description | The study is based on anthropological and paleopathological analysis of skeletons or their parts found in mass graves in the proximity of two important battlefields of the Napoleonic wars in Moravia. Both battles took place in the early 19th century, near the towns of Austerlitz (2.12.1805) and Znojmo (10.–11.7.1809). The grave pit contained the remains of at least 22 individuals in Austerlitz and of at least 57 in Znojmo six mass graves. The remains of an amputated upper limb of Colonel Karel Edler von Kopal (1788–1848) have been studied too. Some of examined skeletal remains bore signs of fatal trauma, some injuries bore signs of healing, and in some cases of medical intervention. The most obvious battle injuries were gunshot wounds present on bones as comminuted fractures. The most frequent complication of war injuries was infection (pyogenic osteomyelitis), which is typical for open fractures. The skeletal remains of soldiers from Austerlitz provide three examples of battlefield amputations. Amputations at Austerlitz were most likely performed by experienced French surgeons because the victorious French army would have had enough time to take care of their wounded. French battlefield medical innovations were implemented to the war medicine of the other armies however with substantial delay. Testimony to the continuance of inadequately performed amputations comes from 1848 (the removal of a part of an upper limb of Colonel Karel von Kopal). War injuries observed on the skeletons from Austerlitz and Znojmo certainly do not represent the true numbers or extent of injuries. The skeletal remains do not evidence fatal soft tissue injuries. One rare positive outcome of these wars was advancements in medicine, especially in surgery. |