Mr. Pena was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Thibodaux with his family when he was eighteen.  Chris is a Nicholls graduate, and earned degrees in theatre, history, and nursing.  He holds a Master’s Degree in nursing form the University of Texas  He taught nursing at Nicholls for a number of years and is a retired member of the faculty;  now resides in Knoxville, Tennessee. Chris is an author, a playwright, an actor, a nurse and a Civil War expert.

Mr. Pena talked about the medical problems during the War of the Rebellion: Five battles, fifteen skirmishes, and countless hit and run raids and affairs were staged in the Lafourche district during May 1862 to May 1865 – conservative casualties (killed, wounded, captured or missing) -3,500 – 3,700. Among the five battles only: 230 killed, 631 wounded. Confederates underreported their casualties – for example, Battle of Koch’s Plantation (July 13, 1863) (CSA) Gen. Tom Green listed only 3 killed, 30 wounded. Union reports listed 56 killed, 223 wounded. Chief cause of death was from hemorrhage, and infection from small arms. If wounded in the head, chest or abdomen almost always mortal. doctors used bromine.

Bromine was applied to  the  surface of the wound or injected into the wound while the patient was under general anesthesia)  and iodine (disinfectant) as treatment for wound infections – the problem was that the treatment was  started too late. Doctors believed that bacteria came as a result of infections. They didn’t believe that bacteria caused infections. Between 1821 and 1846 only 333 surgeries were performed in USA. Surgery was the last thing opted for because of the pain.