How did the Romans patch up sword wounds?

Question

I'm not talking about stab through the heart kinda wounds, I'm talking about a wound that would go into the lower left of your chest, missing any valuable organs.

Answer 1

Lower left chest stab wound?

Remember, that is about the least likely place a Roman soldier would be stabbed - in the center of the area covered by the large shield on his left arm.

Galen and Hypocrates both wrote of clean and dirty wounds, the latter requiring draining.  A deep stab to the lower chest is a dirty wound.  Suturing  (sewing up) was common and well-developed and cauterizing of a wound's surface was practiced.



But no body is going to stick a glowing hot rod back into the sword hole in your chest.  They would use various herbs people mentioned, and they would have allowed the wound to drain - suturing it part way only.  

Answer 2

burn it to stop the bleeding and cover the opening then it heals on its own

Answer 3

they sewed on  other dead peoples skin, DUH!!

Answer 4

Depending on the severity and size.   A simple salve mixture made from herbs and plants would be applied.   Larger, open wounds were cleaned/washed and then seared shut by heating a metal rod up extremely hot and then that was placed against the wound, effectively burning the wound closed to stop loss of blood.

Answer 5

Clean with vinegar, then apply hot iron to cauterize it and then stitch it up with needle and thread. Some officers would use hot silver instead of iron.

Answer 6

very carefully :P

Answer 7

They used spiders cob webs to put over the wounds to heal it, as well as herbal remedies.

Answer 8

They would cauterize and did sew them up

Answer 9

They had medicines, disinfectants and quick healing herbs and remedies....just like we do today.  In fact many of today's over and behind the counter treatments have the age old ingredients.

Answer 10

The Roman Army's medical service was extremely efficient and effective: Hadrian's Column shows a medical orderly applying bandages to minor wounds and we have several surviving medical texts from the time which give an idea of the treatments involved. These treatments were developed from earlier Greek medical practices.

Various herbal remedies were employed, including cold compresses, hot poultices and salves and ointments. Many of the Mediterranean herbs used not only for cooking but for medicinal puposes were introduced to Britain by the Romans. These include hyssop, lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme and many more.

For cuts and wounds the herb galium was often used. This is known today as the weed "cleavers" or goose-grass; it has proven curative properties. Sage and thyme both have antiseptic properties which would help prevent infections.

Roman medical knowledge was passed on via manuscripts to the monks of medieval Europe, who continued to use the same herbal treatments for hundreds of years.