Civil War Era Surgical Manuals,

Civilian Surgical and Medical Texts

Authors:  George B. Wood, Henry W. Williams, George Fownes, John Dalton

Page Five-A

The following medical and surgical texts were used immediately before or during the Civil War.  They are a window into a medical education as it was presented to the students and surgeons who served in the War.  There were a multitude of medical colleges in the late 1850's and 60's, as well as publishers who sold text books from American, English and French authors.

Treatise on the Practice of Medicine, by George B. Wood, M.D. (1858, 5th edition, two volumes), marked for issue by the U. S. Army Hospital Department

A copy of this text book is listed in the Surgeon General's Office Library Catalogues or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department.

Additional information on: George B. Wood.

U. S. Army Hospital Department

 

 

Signatures of owner: Adams (one enhanced for viewing) and a later signature of W. Coman over Adams signature in 1869

Henry F. Adams, Assistant Surgeon: The 149th New York State Volunteer Infantry:

Henry F. Adams enlisted September 20, 1862 as Hospital Steward at the age of 31 and was promoted to Assistant Surgeon under a commission dated April 14, 1863, rank April 2, 1863, and resigned at Wauhatchie, Tennessee, November 20, 1863.

Surgeon Adams again joined the regiment at Stevenson Alabama and was mustered into service as Assistant Surgeon January 20, 1864.  He was present at final muster and brevetted Major.

Additional information on Henry Adams

Treatise on the Practice of Medicine, by George B. Wood, M.D. (1858, 5th edition, two volumes)

A copy of this text book is listed in the Surgeon General's Office Library Catalogues or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department.

Additional information on: George B. Wood.

    

Wood's Therapeutics & Pharmacology, Vol. I & II, by George B. Wood, M. D., (1860, second edition)

A copy of this text book is listed in the Surgeon General's Office Library Catalogues or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department.

Additional information on: George B. Wood.

 

Medical Books from J. B. Lippincott & Co. Publishers. 1862

Owner signature: Phineas K. Hilliard

Name: Phineas K. Hilliard Death date: Dec 31, 1929 Type of practice: Allopath States and years of licenses: NJ, 1884 By the middle of the 19th century Dr. Phineas K. Hilliard had become a successful physician practicing in Ocean County. His skills were in demand throughout the County, but his home and practice were centered in Manahawkin.

A Practical Guide to the Study of the Diseases of the Eye, (1862 first edition) by Henry W. Williams, M.D.,  published by Ticknor and fields, Boston

 

Ticknor and Fields, Boston: 1862., 1862. Hardcover. pp. xii, 317. One of the most important American ophthalmic texts of the mid-19th century. REF: Gorin, History of Ophthalmology, p. 238; Cordasco 70-3972; DAB, XX, p. 265; Heirs of Hippocrates 1889; Hirsch, VI, p. 283; Kelly & Burrage, Dictionary of American Medical Biography, p. 1307; Albert. Source Book of Ophthalmology, 2521 and 2522. FIRST EDITION. MED 3

A Manual of Elementary Chemistry Theoretical and Practical, (1861) by George Fownes, F. R. S.

A copy of this text book is listed in the Surgeon General's Office Library Catalogues or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department.

Additional information on George Fownes

From the seventh revised and corrected edition, edited by Robert Bridges, M.D., professor of chemistry in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.  

FOWNES GEORGE, PH.D.  A MANUAL OF ELEMENTARY CHEMISTRY; Theoretical and Practical.   From the seventh revised and corrected London edition with one hundred and ninety seven illustrations.  Edited by Robert Bridges MD.  In one large royal 12mo volume of 600 pages. 

Fowne's Chemistry was one of the medical manuals given to the Union Army medical personnel by order of the Surgeon General of the United States during the Civil War. According to the records 1,640 printings of Fowne's Chemistry were issued.

Why a Chemistry manual?  Fowne's manual is much more than a Chemistry manual. It is more of a Pharmacy or text on Materia Medica. Essential information is included that would have given the medical staff directions on mixing various prescriptions for the wounded and sick . The text is further explained with fine engravings (197 of them).

Description of this book by the publisher: Blanchard & Lea in 1861

Owner signature: James R. Patterson AMA data on deceased physicians: Name:  James Rae Patterson Death date: Jul 27, 1913 Place of death: Port Elgin, ON Ontario, Canada Type of practice: Allopath

A Treatise on Human Physiology, (1861, second edition), by John Dalton, M.D.

A copy of this text book is listed in the 1864 Surgeon General's Office Library Catalogues or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department.

Professor of physiology and microscopic anatomy in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.

Additional information on John Dalton

DALTON, JR, J C, MD;  Professor of Physiology in the College of Physicians, New York; A TREATISE ON HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY designed for the use of Students and Practitioners of Medicine.  Second edition revised and enlarged with two hundred and seventy one illustrations on wood in one very beautiful octavo volume of 700 pages.  Published by Blanchard and Lea., Philadelphia, 1861.  Leather hard back book measuring 9.5 x 6.5 inches.  Heavily illustrated with two hundred seventy one fine medical engravings on wood.
 
John Dalton's 1861 printing of his Treatise on Physiology was one of the text-books issued to the United States Army medical and hospital personnel during the Civil War.  According to the National Library of Medicine there were 1,412 copies of Dalton's Physiology purchased by the Surgeon General for distribution to the Union Army during the war. This was the first major American text on physiology, which became a standard text in medical schools and went through seven editions, the last in 1882. Dalton relied heavily on animal experimentation and the conclusions presented throughout the book reflect a thorough analysis of the experimental results.  The book is divided into three sections: Section I. Nutrition; Section II. Nervous System; Section III. Reproductions.

Lecture ticket for John C. Dalton, M.D

Publisher description: Blanchard & Lea 1861

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 Medical Book Collection

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during and before the Civil War