Civil War Hospital Pain Bullets: Busted 

Chiggs hair was not harmed during the making of this video

This is really interesting, his voice is so calm.

Chig, once again you have done a great service by educating the public and exploding urban myths. I blame Hollywood for most of the stupid myths about someone biting a bullet during surgery. It probably became popular through their terrible renditions of the Civil War and gun fighter movies. Finally someone who has done the research, and is brave enough to put the truth out there so people can see the difference. Thanks so much. I have the letters of my husbands grt. grt. grandpa, who was a surgeon with the 11th Indiana Vol. Reg., during the Civil War. At the end of the war he was running the hospital at Fort Marshall, Maryland. I have the documents for that hospital, of its stores. No where in his records is there a mention of anyone using a bullet for someone to bite down on during surgery, but there is record of drugs used to knock people out for surgery, and medications for pain. He even tells about the Southern army over-running them during a battle and getting their medical supply wagons. They were more and more a target for such happenings because the Southern army was running out of medications for their wounded. Even at that, as you say, a leather strap would still be the best method for a man in pain, not a bullet. The other reason I have heard that animals like to chew lead, is that it has a sweet flavor. I myself have no intentions of chewing on lead to see if it is sweet or if my teeth will dent it. Only an idiot would need to do that in order to prove you correct or incorrect. Your test with the pigs teeth was better evidence than CSI.

Your back ground wall looks like a museum. Awesome!!!!

How's about a tour of your collections sometime? You tease us with everything in the background and I would bet you can tell us some great stories. We would love it!

Omg I'm so jealous of that relic room!!!😩

General Anesthesia. Did he serve for the North or the South?

Beau, two words, MIRROR AND COMB !!!

Had to laugh at the start of the video, pretty much how I would have explained it. I love the history you've put into this episode. Keep digging.

im so glad you clarified on this topic. i use to bite on minie balls to relieve stress. ill be sure to just chew on hickory nuts!

thanks for clearing up everyone's ignorance, , we're gonna need more dentist

I've got bullets that have been used as fishing weights that have teeth krimp marks, even found a nap sak hook that was sharpen in to a fishing hook in the same hole as the bullet.

Beau, here in arkansas the battle of Jenkins ferry occurred in the saline river bottoms near my home.in those days and up to the 1950,s people ran hogs in the bottoms that were marked by the owner,but they were wild hogs.i have read several accounts of this battle in soldiers gave accounts of hearing wounded soldiers screaming all through the night after the battle because some were being eaten alive by the feral hogs coming to them in response to the smell of blood.without a doubt I,m sure they were also eating bullets along with the bodies!thanks for the education on bitten bullets.i enjoy your videos.

yep he is right my tooth is broken.

Hi Beau, Fantastic video as usual presented in a very informative and interesting way with a touch of humor Perfect! I have just set up my own channel after hosting D.D.Dan on his digging the coast 365 quest, he gave me the confidence to get it up and running I live near Landsend in Cornwall UK and have a huge amount of historical and beautiful places and permissions to explore and film. As I am a little new at this I have a lot to learn from others like yourself who I've been faithfully watching for a long time and only know now how much hard work it is to produce these videos. Our history is very important and it is certainly a privilege saving it and recording it and making it available for others to learn from. Thank You for all your hard work . 15th Century John.

went out today for the first time at a old abandoned Farm house...far to much junk,but thank you for inspiring me to pick up a metal detector and get hunting...Thanks from Northern Ireland 🖒

Thank you for the education. It makes sense and you answered my question about "bite the bullet" just as I was about ask/type what that phrase means. Your knowledge of the Civil War is exceptional!

That was some great info. I had always heard the stories of the soldiers biting bullets when the get limbs removed. You make total sense. Thanks for setting me straight.

The Indian Mutiny of 1857 - "The final spark was provided by the ammunition for the new Enfield P-53 rifle. These rifles, which fired Minié balls, had a tighter fit than the earlier muskets, and used paper cartridges that came pre-greased". (Wikipedia) After rumours were spread that they were greased with beef or pork fat. Which offended Hindus and Muslim troops.

Thanks Beau for preventing me from looking dumb in the future lol

Thanks for the history lesson Chigg! I love it! You should be a history teacher or outdoor adventure teacher! Not because you need money but because I know you would influence a lot of young kids and give them the treasure bug. You make history fun!

Do a vid on your metal detecting room

I'm in agreement with you withOUT biting lead .Pretty much common sense.Informative video.I really didn't know what the saying,bite the bullet came from.Always learning something interesting from you.Thank you

The Bed Head is Real With This One

This has to be one of the most informative videos you've published..... I have laughed last 5 min of it. Great video.

Great video. Makes a lot of sense. I'm sure the last thing a doctor wanted after taking a poor guy's arm off was to now hear how much pain he was in from all of the cracked teeth that he was now going to have to pull. Just making more work for himself. Leather would be a much better option, if the worse of the worse case scenario happened.

Excellent evaluation of chewed musket/minie balls. I recently bought a copy of an excellent reference book titled Musket Ball & Small Shot Identification By Dan Sivilich. The book has a chapter about chewed musket balls and many other subjects related to musket balls. Listening to your video and reading Sivilich's book confirms this study about chewed musket balls. I highly recommend Mr Sivilich"s book to collectors as this guide will explain and id in detailed info with color photos what you did not know or were not quite sure about. Thanks for the videos and keep them coming.

EXCELLENT!!!!! Good educational video. Nicely done :)....I learned so much. I can tell you are a archeologist and historian. Not just a detectorist. College or not you know your stuff!

Few years back, at Ft. Knox army base, there was a field study where they looked at the stomach contents of deer after hunters tagged them in. Surprisingly, almost all of the deer had eaten lead from all of the bullet fragments there. The biologist who conducted the survey theorized that the deer were possibly looking for trace minerals. As the army uses full metal jacket ammo, the rounds were covered with some type of metal with a lead core. That deer jerky don't sound to healthy. Also the primary forage of pre - 1900's animals was the American Chestnut , those trees outnumbered others in the forest 4-1 back during the civil war. Not until the Chestnut blight was introduced from Asia back in the early 1900's ,did billions of these trees die on the east coast and mid- Atlantic states.

Aquachigger, thank you for all you do. keeping history alive is important.

I had shoulder surgery last year where I needed 5 anchors inserted into my bones and the muscles reattached. For the first two days, they couldn't find a pain medicine that would work. I gotta tell you, I wasn't gritting my teeth, I was slack-jawed and rocking back and forth. I really don't think people bite down when they're in pain, I think they writhe, arch their backs and open their mouths. Just my experience though, take it for what it's worth.

I like your logical knowledge of relics. I've paid attention to even the little sarcastic hints you drop on a regular basis. Some crap I believed because I heard it for so long ,you basically debunk with a quick line and I'm like ,fk he's right.

A lot of really good info here, Beau. As always a great video, thanks for sharing.

Very informative video Beau. I learned a lot that I didn't know. Thank you for educating your viewers. I am always amazed at how much you know about the Civil war. It's nice to see someone so passionate about something they love. Thank you again for passing on your years of knowledge.

The leather strap was also used to stop them from busting their teeth. They bit their teeth together so hard they was busting their teeth.

Thank you for making this video. It always drove me nuts to hear that bullets were used to bite down on during surgery.

I'm a paramedic and we don't strap a patient down that's given general anesthesia, we give etomidate then Roc. Or Sux, to paralyze the muscles. It's called a chemical restraint

enjoy the information he gives you forget about the hair, beard I watch cause it's fun & very interesting.

Thank you for being thorough. It's sad you have to be but I personally appreciate it.

Thanks for the explanation and some visible evidence to prove your thought process Beau.

I have a friend who had pigs and he used them to till his fields before planting. They tilled, got rid of lots of weeds and fertilized all in one simple action.

Now I have to go to the dentist because I broke 3 teeth. Thanks Beau .

Very complete explanation. Thanks

I love this video You are a great and wonderful teacher. I always learn something from you. Thank you so very much for sharing this video. Stay safe and God bless you

you may be interested to know, i knew a sow when i was a kid who carried around a copper penny. it was like a dummy (comforter) to it. the penny (this was a big old Australian penny) was super copper shiny from being in her mouth so long. she'd spit it out to eat, then pick it up again to carry it around. was a pig with some other interesting character traits. just fyi.

during the battles the wounded troops were being brought in so fast to save a life they had to work fast sometimes they just had to preform a surgery without anything to knock them out.

When I was a kid I could chew split-shot and 00-sized sinkers into pieces. Wouldn't do it now as my teeth are definitely worn down. Definitely not try a Minnie Ball or such as they would be a bit large . I would have thought the leather strap was to keep people from shattering their teeth by gritting them in surgery versus pain relief. Great conversation and info.

good teaching. it would be nice to have a comprehensive video tour of the collection

Damnit! I ate six 1oz sinkers, like you said to do. Now I know the purpose of the phrase, "Get The Lead Out". .....Just Kidding..... Outstanding, and informative, as usual! Thanks! HAIR

Pretty obvious looking at some of those that no human could have done them, some of those are really mangled! Wild hogs never occurred to me though, caught me flat footed, but your explanation makes perfect sense.

Great job on the background on history.I enjoyed your video and have a great Day.

Make sense to me. Thanks for the education.

AquaChigger, the only youtuber who makes normal videos. Probs to ya!

Very informative. Thanks Aquahiigger.

Glad you put this to rest. I've seen these bullets sell for hundreds. Good video and i always love story time with the chigg

You are so full of information! This is why I love your videos......plus your easy on the eyes! Messed up hair and all! Reminds me of my hubby when he wakes up! 😂😂😂

Lead acetate tastes sweet and can be formed naturally when lead oxidizes then encounters a natural acid like vinegar. Not sure if that is why an animal might want to try it but it is possible.

Thank you so much for all that you do. I have learned so many great things from following your posts!

great information....love your videos on any subject.

Interesting subject and so logical. Love seeing all that stuff in the background, a fantastic collection.

WOW how cool is that? that he found the exact pig that chewed up those exact bullets...so that the teeth imprints match!!! WOW score !!!!!

The pigs were getting down to business by biting the bullet. : D

Your voice is soothing

I have checked records and your right plus no records the my ancestors left said that they bit down on bullets only leather belts, but being very drunk or knocked out cold.

I have never thought of this and I am a country boy. I have civil war reenactor friends who go with the bite bullet theory. I'll send them to this video.

Another really good and informative video. Thanks

Great segment.....MORE!

Mr. Beau is full of common sense!

The only way I have been able to bit down on a piece of lead was split shot sinkers. Even though they were cut almost through the first use they were hard to close. We hardly would ever have a pair of fishing plies with us.

Awesome video. Well done as usual!

It gives a pain of 12 on the 1 to 10 scale. My wife had a leg amputation and when she woke up the hospital realized they forgot a epidural would help block pain so morphine got injected as fast and as much as they could. Nurses had tears because of her screams.

Damn this video was chalked full of horrendous visualizations. Thanks chigg.🙀

Great video. Very educational. Thanks

If you look up the journal of the American revolution, "Bite the bullet" there is some interesting thoughts and recorded first hand accounts of some revolutionary war soldiers on why lead balls were chewed. And perhaps possibly the same or similar reasons the civil war soldiers may have done the same.

Great video. very educational and on point. Quote for the hair haters, A man who is himself will always know himself.

I have a 3 ringer mini ball bullet that the end was bit in a way that shows a heart shape. Could have been used as a poker chip. It was bit in the open end where it would be much more soft or easy to bend / bite it.

Chig, here's another term - Looks like with that hairdo you "Saw the Elephant" :)

very good education on this i learn something

Very informative, I appreciate you helping to educate on our history.

thanks for putting that myth the bed.

thanks Beau i found that really informative. BTW love your tussled windblown hair style today! LOL

So what your saying is that lead bullets could have been used by civil war veterinarians.

prof. chigg's class...wouldn't miss it!👍

Perhaps in the north they had anesthesia. Not so in the south. There was a very limited supply and whiskey was used more

thanks for the bust chig! keep up your hard work

You don't know how many people just contacted PayPal wanting there money back. 😂 nice little video, I learned something.

Great info. Your videos are the reason I'm getting into metal detecting! Thanks!

Interesting video. Thanks, Beau.

Before I tested the theory and bit down on lead, I was tough and ruthless. Now I'm just rough and toothless.

I had to rewatch this video, It is obvious that some of them are like you said, chewed by an animal, most likely hogs/pigs, but some of them have just a scrape of teeth, those ones are from "biting the bullet" when loading tearing the paper cartridge as close to the ball they could, under battle stress with bad visibility you would be loading a musket with your eyes on the battlefield, so they had to feel the ball with their teeth. well that's my opinion, and after seeing the video from Cody's Lab "biting gold"

Excellent stuff, enjoyed the "forensics 101" regarding pigs jaws, who knew! I think GARRETT should be making some advertising vests that fit on pigs, they seem to be some famous diggers.

I'll have Hash Browns, Eggs and a side of Lead. Lol!!! Also, bit the bullet, kicked the bucket.

People! Do NOT bite on any bullets. It's a terrible idea. Thank you.

I learned something here today.

Thanks! I did not know that.

Sent here by a recent Gr8 Finds video. Really interesting video. New subscriber.

Well, I feel dumb. I have one of these bullets like this and was believing this lie that a soldier had bitten down on it. Good stuff!!

Thanks Chigg. I guess it was time for you "to bite the bullet" and get this info out. Thanks as always for great videos!

This video made me happy

Warning ! You are approaching TORNADO HAIR; please exercise caution! ⚠⚠⚠