The
following is a dictated translation of the hand-written application to
the U. S. Navy Examination Board during the Civil War by a civilian
physician/surgeon for a position as a medical officer in the Federal
Navy or for promotion to Assistant Surgeon by an Acting Assistant
Surgeon. The actual
applications are in the possession of the author and presented to
enlighten the general public and other researchers as to the education
process before and during the Civil War, the personal history of the
applicants, as well as to show their personal level of medical knowledge
in answering the questions asked by the Navy Board of Examiners.
(Some applicants failed to pass and did not serve or served in the Union
Army.)
This written presentation was first of a part of a two-part exam consisting of a written
exam and an oral exam.
Many of these applications are rich
with highly detailed medical content offering an interesting perspective
on the medical knowledge and practices of the period.
A broad sampling of these exams is presented to
give you a 'picture' of the type of applicant being examined and
admitted to or rejected by the Federal Navy in 1863. Much more detail
on the individuals and their personal and naval history will be
presented in a forth-coming book by Dr. Herman.
(The actual written exam photos are available, but not presented on
these pages due to the size of the files. An
example
of a hand-written exam is on the
List of all Applicants page)
If you have additional information or images for any of these
doctors, please
contact us.
A list with links to
all applicants in this survey of U.S. Navy Applicants for 1863
Example of a handwritten exam given by the Navy Examination Board
Applicant: Charles H. Burbank, M.D.
U.S. Naval Asylum.
Philadelphia Pa.
September 14th 1863
Gentlemen:
In obedience to in order from the
Navy Department dated on or about the 25th May 1861 I report
for duty on board the U.S. Frigate Santee at Portsmouth Navy Yard,
Surgeon J. M. Foltz being Surgeon of the Ship. On the 20th
June we sailed for Hampton Roads where we arrived on the 1st
of July; remaining there until the 10th; we sailed for Fort
Pickens on that day at which place we arrived on or about the 10th
of Aug, and sailed for Key West on or about the 15th; where
we arrived on or about the 25th having experienced on the
passage a most terrible gale. We again sailed for Fort Pickens on are
about the 1st of Sept where we arrived on or about the 7th;
thence we sailed about the 10th for Galveston where we
arrived on the 17th. On our way to Galveston, we came in
with the U.S.S. Niagara and Surgeon J. M. Foltz was relieved by Surgeon
T. M. Potter. The vessel was still at anchor off Galveston on the 6th
April 1862 when I was detached, by order of the Flag Officer D. G.
Farragut, from the Santee and ordered to report for duty at the U.S.
Naval Hospital at Pilot Town S. W. Pass Miss. River, when I arrived,
just before the Fleet was going up the river, to attack Forts Jackson
and St Philip; and by the advice of Fleet Surgeon J. M. Foltz I
volunteered my services on board the Flag ship Hartford during the
fight. I remained on board the ship during the bombardment, and on the
day before the Fleet passed the Forts I was ordered to Pilot Town
Hospital with wounded, where I remained until September 12th
1862. Surgeon P. S. Wales was in charge of a hospital until about the
20th of July when he was relieved by the late Surgeon C. H.
Wheelwright who very suddenly died some six or eight days afterwards. I
was then left alone in charge of the hospital until about the middle of
September, when the hospital was transferred to Pensacola Fla. Surgeon
B. F. Gibbs then took charge of the hospital and I remained attached to
the hospital until August 21st 1863 when I was relieved by
order of the Department, and arrived in New York September 4th
1863.
On board the U.S. Frigate Santee,
opportunities for Medical and Surgical observation were of course
limited, few cases occurring of much interest. At the Pilottown
Hospital the opportunity for Surgical observation was good, a large
number of surgical cases being treated there.
At Pensacola Hospital the cases were
mostly chronic.
Very Respectfully
Submitting the above
I am Your Most Obdt Servt
C. H. Burbank
Asst. Surgeon U.S.N.
To.
The Medical Examining Board.
U.S. Naval Asylum
Philadelphia Pa.
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by Asst. Surgeon Chas. H.
Burbank, U. S. N.
What are the different modes of
arresting hemorrhage?
Describe Hydrocele, and the
diagnosis.
Give a formula without symbols or
abbreviations, for a compound infusion of senna.
Give in short the anatomical
structure of the eye.
Describe the origin course
distribution of the pneumogastric nerve.
What are the tests for grape sugar?
Describe the mechanical action of the
heart in propelling the blood.
Describe the properties, uses and
mode of administration of veratrum viride.
Describe the process (and give its
rationale) for the artificial production of carbonate of soda
Answers by Burbank:
1. Haemorrhage may be arrested by
pressure, (for example) by the tourniquet, by the hand of an assistant,
by ligating the vessel. In arterial haemorrhage the ligature should be
placed between the bleeding point and the heart, in venous, beyond it.
By tension, by cold, by astringents, by caustics, by position; also by
the internal administration of astringents and sedatives.
2. Hydrocele is a watery
accumulation within the tunica vaginalis testis. It may be double or
single, acute or chronic. The scrotum is enlarged and presents a pear
shaped appearance with the apex upward. It may be diagnosed by its
shape, by transmitting the light of a candle, by the testicle being
found in the superior and posterior part of the tumor and by fluctuation
(slight.).
3. Recipe
Sennae Foliarum
Uncam Unam
Feniculi Seminis Drachmas Duas
Cardamomi Seminis Drachmam Unam
Aquae Destilatae Uncas sex
Misce. Fiat infusum. Uncas duas
quarta guagas horâ Sumendus.
4. The eye is composed of tunics,
humerus and refracting Media. The external coat or tunic is composed of
the sclerotic and cornea, the former covering the posterior two thirds
and the latter the anterior third. The second tunic is composed of
choroid, iris and ciliary processes; and the third and internal coat by
the retina and zonula ciliaris. The humors of the eye are the aqueous
occupying the anterior and posterior chambers, and the vitreous which
fills the globe of the eye. The refracting media are the crysteline
[sic] Leres, the humerus and the cornea. The sclerotic is the
fibrous coat which maintains the shape of the eye. The choroid coat is
the vascular and the retina the nervous. The iris a muscular curtain,
which surrounds the pupil; by contracting and dilating, by the action of
its circular and concentric fibers, it controls the amount of light to
be admitted to the eye. The crysteline [sic] lens is situated in the
anterior part of the Vitreous humor.
5. The Pneumogastric Nerve arises
from the side of the Medullary oblongata; between the corpus olivare and
the Corpus Restiforme. From this origin it passes to the jugular
foramen through which it passes, with the other two branches of the
ninth pair; which within the jugular fossa it becomes much enlarged
forming, the “ganglion jugulare;” thence the nerve passes the sheath of
the common carotid; passing down the neck within the sheath, between the
artery and vein, and to the posterior. At the base of the neck the
right passes in front of the Subclavian artery into the chest, passing
backward to the oesophagus. The left crossing the arch of the Aorta at
the origin of the subclavian and backward to the oesophagus. Both
nerves accompany the oesophagus through the diaphragm, to the stomach,
to which they are both freely distributed. The branches of this nerve
are distributed to the larynx, the recurrent laryngeal being a branch,
to the lungs, to the heart to the oesophagus, stomach + duodenum.
6, If to a solution containing Grape
Sugar, there be added Potassa or Ammonia, in sufficient quantity, to
produce a slight alkaline reaction, and then enough Sulphate of copper
to produce a blue tinge and then heat be applied, very soon a red
sub-oxide will be deposited. Another test is the yeast test. If a
solution containing grape sugar be submitted to a temperature of 70
o or 80o F. and yeast added, fermentation will take
place with the production of alcohol and carbonic acid gass [sic], the
latter being set free.
7. During the second sound of the
heart the Auricles which have become filled with blood empty themselves
by a gentle contraction into the Ventricles; and then follows a short
interval, during which time blood still flows into the auricles and
directly into the ventricles; the auricle-ventricular vale [sic] being
in a passive state against the sides of the ventricles; the ventricles
becoming filled feel the stimulus of distention and immediately began to
contract. As soon as the action begins, the auricle-ventricular valves
are forced from the side of the wall and closed; the ventricles
continuing to contract force open the semi-lunar vales [sic] and the
blood escapes into the aorta and pulmonary artery; as soon as the blood
has passed the orifice the semilunar valves are closed, completing one
action of the heart.
8. Veratrum Viride is a powerful
nervous sedative; one of its most characteristic properties is the
reduction of the pulse; it also reduces nervous excitement. It is said
to produce abortion if given in pregnancy. It is given when it
desirable to reduce nervous or vascular excitement. It has be [sic]
highly recommended in pneumonia, when it is important not to reduce the
quality of the blood.
It is usualy [sic] administered in
the form of tincture or fluid extracts.
9. If, to a solution of carbonate of
Potassa there be added a solution of sulphate of soda, a double
decomposition takes place with the production of Carbonate of Soda and
Sulphate of Potassa. The Carbonic Acid of the Potassa displaced by the
Sulphuric Acid of the soda, there is an interchange of principles, and
each acid unites with the other base. A stronger acid displacing a
weaker.
Very Respectfully
Submitting the above
I am Your Most Obdt
Servt
C. H. Burbank
Assist. Surgeon U.S.N.
To Surgeon James M. Greene U.S.N.
Presiding officer of
Examining Board.
Naval Asylum.
Philadelphia Pa.
Delirium Tremens
Asst. Surgeon Chas. H.
Burbank, U. S. N.
Synonyms. Delirium cum Tremore.
Mania a Potu. Delirium of Drunkards.
This is a disease which
affects persons, who have been accustomed, to drink intoxicating liquors
in large or moderate quantity for a long time, and also those who may
have been drinking excessively only for a short time. It usually makes
its appearance at the time or just after the individual is deprived of a
stimulant, it some times seizes upon it’s [sic] victim in the midst of
his debauch.
Symptoms. The particular
characteristics of this disease are as its name implies – delirium with
trembling or tremor of the muscles. The delirium may be of a violent,
raving character, if it occurs in persons of the rigorous constitution
or it may be of a low type, if it occurs in old men or even young men,
whose constitutions are broken down by intemperance and debauchery. The
disease may come on with moderate delirium or with violence; or the
first thing which may attract the attention of those around the patient,
maybe that he will appear alarmed and frightened, and will have his eyes
fixed upon the wall or some particular part of the room where he may
happen to be. He will say that he sees some, (imaginary) object, of the
non-existence of which he cannot be convinced, although he may appear
sane upon other topics. He may soon become violently delirious, seeing
all kinds of frightful objects and attempting to injure or take the life
of himself or those around him.
At this stage of the disease there
will be high fever, dry skin and the tongue will most likely be red at
the tip and edges indicating irritation of the stomach; pulse full and
bounding; sometimes the pupil will be contracted or dilated, at others
natural.
These violent attacks may come on at
intervals for a few days or even weeks; the intervals growing longer and
attacks less violent, until the patient is relieved of the affection; or
he may have died from the violence of the fits or from the exhaustion
which followed.
The nature of this disease is
that the functions of the brain are deranged by excessive stimulation;
by which the powers of the brain are overwhelmed to such an extent that
it is impossible for them to act when the stimulus is removed.
Corresponding depression always follows stimulation. This disease may
be known by the history of the case, by the delirium accompanied by
tremor, and the seeing by the patient of imaginary objects.
Anatomical characters.
Irritation or inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach.
Congestion of the liver. More or less congestion of brain and its
membranes, with effusion of serum into the ventricles.
Prognosis. In persons of good
constitution the disease will generally terminate in a move this
recovery; in persons whose constitutions are broken down from any cause,
it is likely to terminate in death. Treatment. The indications
in treatment of this disease are to quiet delirium, to relieve nervous
and irritability, to procure sleep and support the strength. The
patient should be placed in a room, where there is nothing with which he
can injure himself, with a good attendant to take care of him and watch
him. Many things have been used to relieve this terrible affection.
Opium or some of its preparations have been most highly recommended and
use with great success. It t should be used with caution as it is
difficult to judge of its effects under the circumstances and the
patient may die from the effects of the opium instead of from the
effects of the disease. Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Canabis [sic] Indica,
in fact the greater part of cerebral and nervous stimulants are used.
Emetics have been recommended during the fit. Calomel purge should be
used to empty the bowels as early as possible. It is some times
necessary to use some alcoholic stimulant, which may be given with some
bitter tonic. After the violence of the disease has passed and
prostration has come on, then it will be necessary to give Iron and
other tonics.
Very Respectfully
Submitting the above
I am Your Most Obdt Servt
C. H. Burbank, Assist. Surgeon U.S.N.