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: Harvey D. Jillson, M.D.
Boston Navy Yard Dec 24th
1863
Dr. Ruschenberger
Dear sir
I was born in Whitingham Vt. June 19th
1834. I commenced attending school at the age of 4 years in the Town of
Rowe Mass. where I attended until I was 7 years of age after which time,
until 19 years of age I lived in Charlemont Mass. where I attended
school summer and winter until 12 years of age, after that, – at the
district school – until 18 years of age. In the meantime I attended
school at the village academy 4 terms. When 22 years of age I attended
school one term at the Franklin Academy, Shelburn Falls Mass. I then
pursued my studies alone for 6 months, when I commenced reading Medicine
under the tuition of J. Wother [?] Martin M.D. Worcester Mass. where I
lived at the time. I was with Dr. Martin 2 or 3 months when I went into
the office of Frank H. Kelly M.D. Worcester Mass. – this change was in
consequence of Dr. Martin leaving to the city. I remained with Dr.
Kelly until the spring of 1860: in the meantime I attended one full
course of Lectures at Worcester Medical College in the winter of
/58 and /59 where I had good opportunities for clinical observation and
dissection. I the [sic] pursued my studies until the next winter /59 +
60, when I attended a full course of lectures at Harvard University
visited the Mass. Gen Hospital, Boston Dispensary etc.
The following April I commenced the
practice of Medicine in the Town of Leominster, Mass. where I have been
ever since I graduated at the Worcester School Feb 1861. The
reason of my not graduating the year before was that the Secretary of
the College failed to notify me of the meeting of the Trustees so that I
was obliged to wait over until the next year. My opportunities for the
practice of Medicine + Surgery have been quite as good falls to the lot
of a young physician in a country town.
The statement is correct in every
particular according to my last recollection.
Very Respectfully Your Obt Servt
H. D. Jillson M.D.
Leominster Mass
Questions by the Board:
Dr. H.D. Jillson is requested to
write answers to the following questions.
1. Name the
officinal preparations of potassium, and state the therapeutic use in dose
of each?
2. What
substances are formed by the chemical union of oxygen and nitrogen?
3. What vessels
convey blood to the brain?
4. What are the
diagnostic symptoms of laryngitis?
5. What is the
difference between chime and chyle?
6. Define the
terms “latent heat”, “temperature”, and “specific gravity”? [sic]
Answers by Jillson:
1. Potassa. Iodidum, Potass.
Chloridum, Potass. Nitras, Potassa Sulphus, Potassa Chloratis. The
Iodide of Potass. is used in diseases, of a Scrofulous tendency + in
syphilitic diseases, dose from 2 to 4 grains. The chloride is used
principally as a disinfectant, the Nitrate for its caustic properties,
the sulphate – I have never used that I recollect of and cannot state
confidently its properties and uses. The chlorate is used in diseases
of the mucous membrane dose from 2 to 8 grains
2. The Peroxide of Nitrogen
or laughing gas. I dont call to mind other preparations not having done
aything [sic] in Chemistry since my collegiate course.
3. The external and
internal Carotid arteries are the principle. The vertebral arteries
also perform that function.
4. Difficult deglutition
soreness dryness, heat, smarting or burning sensation in that region.
5. Chime [sic] is formed
in the stomach by the action of the gastric juice upon the food, and is
of an acid nature while chyle is formed in the duodenum by the action of
the Hepatic secretions upon the food, and is of an alkaline nature.
6. The natural heat of
abody [sic] contained in itself. By temperature is meant the heat or
cold of the body or of the atmosphere as determined by an instrument
called a Thermometer. The weight of a body as compared with
that of water.
H. D. Jillson
Boston Navy Yard [Board
note in pencil]: Ecclectic practitioner.
Dec 24th
/63 prefers Thomsonianism rather
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