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: David Putney Goodhue, M.D.
I was born at Dunbarton New Hampshire
January 10, 1838.
I persued [sic, correction marks in
pencil] the common Accademic [sic, correction marks in pencil] course
including Surveying.
I studied Latin to terms, and only
read Natural History. I am not acquainted with the modern
languages.
I studied medicine with Dr. E. K.
Webster of Boscawen N.H.
I attended the medical school at the
University of Vermant [sic, correction marks in pencil], and Dartmouth
school at Hanover N. H. I am a graduate of the Dartmouth
school.
I have had only such chances as are
commonly offerd [sic correction marks in pencil] with a country
practitioner for observing the physical properties of drugs, and for
operations in surgery.
My address in Philadelphia is, at the
Western Hotel, No. 628 Market Street. At home, it is, Boscawen, New
Hampshire
David P Goodhue
December 17th, 1863.
To the Examining Board.
Questions of the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by Dr. David P Goodhue.
1. What are the symptoms + treatment
of scurvy?
2. What are the coats of the
intestines, and their arrangement in different portions of the tube?
3. Describe the symptoms of
Pneumonia, in its different stages.
4. Describe the function of
respiration giving the vital, chemical and mechanical actions involved
5. Where are the characters and
treatment of arsenical poisoning and what the test for Arsenic? [sic]
6. What are the proximate and what
the ultimate elements of food? [sic]
7. Describe the course and branches
of the Brachial artery –
8. What are the forms of dislocation
of the humerus?
9. What is the treatment of fracture
of the humerus in the middle third?
Answers by Goodhue:
1. A feeling of languor and general
debility. Purple spots like ecchymosis appearing over the surface of
the body, together with bleeding of the gums and loosning [sic,
correction marks in pencil] of the teeth from slight causes.
It occurs when persons have been kept
from a fresh vegetable diet for a long time.
Treatment.
A fresh vegetable diet is very
essential. Potatoes should be eaten freely as they are one of the best
antiscorbutics.
The patient should have fresh meat
with pickles and vinegar. Citric acid disolved [sic, correction marks
in pencil] in water, with sugar added is very good. Lemonade is good
with the other vegetable acids.
2. The coats of the intestines are
the peritoneal, muscular, cellular and mucus.
The peritoneal coat does not cover
the intestine entirely but is reflected on to the mesentery and it is
wanting at the lower part of the rectum.
The muscular coat consists mostly of
fibres running transversely, but it has some that run longitudinaly [sic
correction marks in pencil].
At the entrance of the small
intestines into the large, we have the inner coats constricted so as to
form the illiocolic valve. In the small intestines we have the mucous
coat forming what are called the valvulae caniventis [sic].
3. We have at first a slight feeling
of restriction about the chest, with a slight increase the frequency in
the pulse, slight dullness on percussion, and a few mucous rales.
In the second place we have a higher
pulse, more fever, acoated [sic] tongue, greater dyspnoea, more mucous
rales, with greater dullness on percussion.
In the third stage we have a rapid
pulse, high fever, coated tongue, great dyspnoea, almost perfect
dullness on percussion, with imperfect aeration and loss of the voice.
4. Respiration consistent taking air
into the lungs and expeling [sic, correction marks in pencil] it from
them, and also the aeration of blood in the lungs.
The vital actions consists [sic] in
the contractions of the diaphragm, pectoral and intercostal muscles.
The chemical, in the change of the
venous to arterial blood, by the loss of carbonic acid and the
absorption of oxygin [sic, correction marks in pencil].
The mechanical is the expansion of
the lungs by the air.
5. Arsenic is a mineral poison.
It produces inflamation [sic,
correction marks in pencil] of the stomach with great iritability [sic,
correction marks in pencil].
The antidote is the hydrated
sesquioxide of iron.
The test is Marshes [sic, correction
marks in pencil] test.
6. The proximate principles of food
are Nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon, casein, albumin, protein, etc.
7. The course of the brachial is
on the inside of the arm under the biceps muscle until it reaches the
elbow, where it divides into the ulnar, radial, and interoseous [sic,
correction marks in pencil].
The brachial artery gives off the
suprascapular which goes to the superior part of the scapula, the
external and internal mammary, which go to the pectoral muscles and
mammary gland, and the anastimodicus [sic, correction marks in pencil]
which turns back and anastimoses with the proceeding.
The radial descends on the radial
side of the arm, the ulnar on the ulnar side, and the interosseous
between the two. The radial and ulnar pass into the hand and there
unite to form the palmar arch which gives off branches to the fingers
and thumb.
8. The dislocations of the humerus,
are, downwards, backwards, forwards, and a partial dislocation upwards.
9. For a fracture of the humerus at
the middle third, bring the ends of the bones in apposition, and apply
four splints, so as to keep it in place, and then support the arm in a
sling.
David P Goodhue.
December 18, 1863.
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, Phthisis, Gout, Apoplexy, or
Chronic disease of any kind.
I am not at present affected with
Varicocele, disease of the Urinary organs, Hernia, or 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.
David P. Goodhue
Candidate for the office of Assistant
Surgeon in the Navy of the United States
U.S. Naval Asylum, Philadelphia
Decem. 17th, 1863.
To whom if may concern
I have been acquainted with the
bearer, David P Goodhue M.D., since his residence in this town. He
studied medicine with me and graduated at Dartmouth College, Medical
Department at Commencement in July last.
Dr. Goodhue is a good scholar well
rec’d in his profession – a young man of correct habits and unblemished
moral character. He will, I doubt not, prove himself worthy of any
trust committed to him.
It gives me great pleasure to recommend him to the
attention and confidence of any who may need his service.
E. K. Webster, M.D.
Late President of
New Hampshire
Medical Society
Boscawen N.H.
Dec. 17th 1863