Editing George H. Tichenor (section)

==Career==
Initially, Tichenor was a businessman in [[Franklin, Tennessee|Franklin]] ([[Williamson County, Tennessee|Williamson County]]), [[Tennessee]], when the [[American Civil War]] began. After the American Civil War had begun, in 1861, he entered military service with the 22nd Tennessee [[Cavalry]] Regiment.

In 1863, he became an enrolling [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] officer, and thereafter an assistant surgeon, during which time he is believed to have been the first in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] to have used antiseptic surgery. Tichenor experimented with the use of [[ethanol|alcohol]] as an antiseptic on wounds. He was badly wounded in the leg in 1863, and [[amputation]] was recommended. He insisted on treating his wounds with an alcohol-based solution of his own devising. His wound healed, and he regained the use of his leg.

His potential reputation as a humanitarian was clouded by his fierce regional loyalty; Tichenor insisted that his techniques be used only on injured Confederates, never on [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] prisoners.

An unconfirmed story was later circulated that Dr. Tichenor's antiseptic was granted the first patent issued by the Confederate government.<ref>Burger, Nash K., "The Road to West 43rd Street", University Press of Mississippi, 2009, p. 10</ref> An image of the [[Confederate Battle Flag#Battle flag|Confederate Battle Flag]] remained on the product label well into the 20th century.<ref>Burger, Nash K., "The Road to West 43rd Street", University Press of Mississippi, 2009, p. 10</ref>

[[File:DrTichenor1895Ad.jpg|right|thumb|1895 advertisement for Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic]]
Tichenor developed his antiseptic formula in [[Canton, Mississippi]], and thereafter practiced medicine in [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], from 1869 to 1887. He started bottling ''Dr. Tichenor's [[patent medicine|Patent Medicine]]'' in [[New Orleans]]; the formula, consisting of alcohol, oil of [[peppermint]], and [[arnica]], was originally marketed as useful for a wide variety of complaints for both internal and external use for man and animal. A patent was registered in 1882.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gennotes.150m.com/genealog.html |title=Genealogical Notes and Anecdotes |accessdate=2009-05-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422182225/http://gennotes.150m.com/genealog.html |archivedate=2009-04-22 }}</ref> The company producing this liquid was incorporated in 1905 and is still in existence, though the recommended uses are now more modest: principally as a mouthwash and topical antiseptic.