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: John Woolston Coles, M.D.
I was 24 years of age on the 14th
of August 1862. My place of beirth [sic] is in Delaware Township Camden
Co. N.J.
I finished my preliminary education
with Mr. Gummere at Burlington N.J. He is now professor of Mathematics
at the Haverford College, also president of the same institution. I
have studied nearly all of the branches that are taught in a regular
College excepting Greek.
I have been studying medicine nearly
three years. Dr. R. P. Thomas was my preceptor. I received a diploma
from the Jefferson Medical College on the 10th of March
1863. I was eight months in a drug store and attended lectures at the
College of Pharmacy. I have been an assistant in the Clinic of
Jefferson College for two years. Natural History I have never regularly
studied. Spanish is the only modern and Latin the only ancient language
that I have studied.
My
address is 1100 Walnut St. Phila.
John
W. Coles.
Naval Asylum, Philada.
12th 1863
[sic].
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by Dr. John W. Coles.
1. What is Ergot, dose, + mode of
administration?
2. Erysipelas, symptoms, +
treatment?
3. Write a prescription, (Latin)
without symbols, or abbreviations, for a compound Infusion spigelia.
4. What is meant by reflex action?
5. What is meant by automatic
movement?
6. What is meant by death?
7. How which you treat a case of
apparent death from drowning?
8. What is the pathology of Asthma?
9. How was arsenic used as a
medicine?
Answers by Cole:
1. Ergot is the diseased seed of the
secale cereale Dose gr.XX to ʓss. May be given in the form of powder,
fluid extract, or wine.
2. Erysipela [sic] peculiar
inflammation, it was thought at one time to be a modified common
inflammation, cause by the peculiarity of that issue in which it
occurred. The skin and the cellular tissue are the parts which it
generally attacks. May confine itself to the skin or extend to the
tissue below, (Cellular), then pass off by resolution, or cause
structural lesions, suppuration, or total destruction of the part and
patient. Symptoms are pain, heat, swelling, discoloration and
disordered function. The pain in some cases is very severe, the part
always burns, smarts and itches. Heat is much above that of the healthy
parts, maybe as high as 110°. The color resembles that of a rose,
scarlet. Swelling takes place very rapidly, parts feel very hard to the
touch. Disorder of the function will vary with the particular case and
the extent of the disease. There is much constitutional disturbance,
such as Rigors, fever, pain in the head, back etc. The secretions and
excretions are disturbed. Urine scanty and high colored. Perspiration
checked. If suppuration takes place he may sink from the exhausting
discharge. In suppuration of the superficial fascia there is no
tendency to circumscribe the puss [sic, correction marks in pencil]
[unclear] to the formation of abscesses. It is then, serious and
aplastic, deffuses [sic] itself through the healthy tissue, thus causing
it to become inflammed [sic] etc.
Treatment. If the patient be robust
and full habit, give a brisk cathartic. If the tongue is coated and
there is a taste in the mouth, nausia [sic] etc give an emetic. Try to
reestablish and start the secretions and excretions by diaphoretics and
diuretics, bedrest the diet. If separation takes place and he begins to
sink give stimulants etc. Local treatment, place the part at rest,
apply a lotion a favorite one of Dr. Gross consists of Rx. Plumbi
Acetatis ʓii. Pulveris Opii ʓii Aquć O XIII S. Keep the part
constantly wet with this solution. If puss [sic] forms beneath the
skin, open as soon as possible. Then apply a poultice, and covered with
oiled silk. Some surgeons have an opposite treatment but the one that I
have given is the one that I have seen in the clinic at the Jefferson
College as practiced by Dr. Gross. I forgot to say in the
constitutional treatment that a full dose of Morpia [sic, correction
marks in pencil] should be given at bed-time so as to relieve pain and
promote rest.
3. Recipe. Pulveris Spigelić
Dracumć Unis [correction marks in pencil]
Pulveris
Cinnamoni [unclear] Unis [correction marks in pencil]
Aquć
bulicartis Uncić [correction marks in pencil] Sex
Fiat infusion et Signa. Take two tabe-spoonful [sic] three times a day.
4. Reflex actions are those acts
performed independent of the will. The spinal cord presides over the
system. Swallowing is a reflex act, after the food passes beyond the
half arches it is then under the controll [sic, correction marks in
pencil] of this system, the impression of the food on the nerves is
carried to the spinal cord, than a reflex action through the nerves of
motion the muscles of the oesophagus are excited to contraction and thus
the food is carried on to the stomach
5. An automatic movement is one that
is performed after person has been deprived of his intellect, these
movements often take place just before death.
6. Death is the cessation of all of
the functions of the body
7. The treatment of apparent death
is artificial respiration after Martial Kall’s method. Galvinism.
Stimulents [sic, correction marks in pencil] injected into the rectum.
Ammonia to the nose. Frictions on the surface also the application of
heat and sinapisms to the surface.
8. The pathology of asthma is the
spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the minute air tubes.
9. Arsenic is an antispasmodic, it
is also one of the best preparations in the treatment of cutaneous
disease. May be given in solution, but the best form is the Liquor
Potapee Arsenitis u.s.
John W. Coles
Certificate of Physical Capacity
I declare on honor
that, my health at this time is good and robust; and to the best of my
knowledge and belief. I am free from any accidental or constitutional
defects, and without any predisposition to Epilepsy, Phtisis, Gout,
Apoplexy, or chronic disease of any kind.
I am not at present
affected with varicocele, disease of the urinary organs, hernia,
hemorrhoids; nor am I aware that there is anything hereditary in my
constitution, which would hereafter be likely, to incapacitate me, for
the arduous duties of a Medical Officer of the Navy.
All my organs of sense
are without imperfection.
John Woolston
Coles
Candidate for
the office ofAsst.
Surgeon in the Navey [sic] of the United
States
U.S. Navl Asylum Philada
1863.
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