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: William Henry Jones, M.D.
To Medical Examining Board, Naval
Asylum
Phila. March 9th 1863
Sirs:
I was born near Nazareth Northampton
Co. Pa. on December 15th 1840. I attended the common school
until I was 16 years of age, when I was sent to Fort Edward Institute
Washington Co. N. Y. from December 3d 1857 until June 15th
1858. Branches studied while there, were Natural Philosophy,
Arithmetic, Grammer [sic, correction marks in pencil] and Bookkeeping.
Commenced the Study of Medicine May 1st 1860 in the office of
C. C. Field M.D. Easton Pa. have been under his instructions since that
time with the exception of time spent in attending Lectures.
I attended lectures for two sessions
at the University of Pennsylvania, where I passed my examination for a
Degree of about a week ago.
My opportunities for acquiring a
knowledge of pharmacy and the physical property of drugs, have been
confined to the prescriptions which I saw put up in my Preceptor’s
office and the more complex ones which were compounded by the druggists
and pharmaceuists.
For witnessing the practice of
Medicine and Surgery my opportunities have been limited to what I saw in
my Preceptors practice, and to the clinics at the Philadelphia Hospital
and those held at the University of Penna. during the time I attended
lectures.
Have never studied Natural history,
except what I learned by a general course of reading. My knowledge of
modern languages is limited to a slight knowledge of the German language
as spoken in this County.
Testimonials and Certificate of
Physical ability have been presented to the Board.
William H. Jones
202 South 11th Phila.
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by Dr Wm H. Jones.
1. What are the actions or
injuries, which require primary amputation of the thigh?
2. What is aneurism, + how do
surgeons divided it?
3. What is varicocele, + the
operation for radical cure?
4. What is the difference between
Albumen and Fibrin?
5. Define Medical Jurisprudence?
[sic]
6. What is the reason that the
components of atmosphere do not separate according to gravity the
lightest taking the upper and the heavier the lower regions of the air?
7. What is Spigelia?
8. What are the causes and treatment
of Empyema?
9. How and in what cases would you
exhibit strychnia as a medicine?
Answers by Jones:
1. The accidents or injuries, which
require primary amputation of the thigh, are such as are caused by
railroad accidents, or heavy weights crushing the parts or from gunshot
wounds of the thigh causing such a destruction of tissue as will render
Nature incapable of restoring the parts to their natural condition.
2. Aneurism, is an enlargement of
the coats of an artery. The enlargement or dilation may be complete or
partial affecting either one or all the coats of the vessel. Divided
into traumatic arising from wounds and idiopathic or symptomatic arising
from some disease of the artery itself. Have the complete, incomplete
and dissecting aneurysms.
3. Varicocele is an enlarged or
varicose condition of the veins of the spermatic cord, and the radical
cure is to obliterate them by a ligature thus preventing the flow of
blood & reducing them to mere ligamentous cords.
4. The difference between Albumen
and Fibrin is in the [sic] Fibrin coagulating spontaneously when drawn
from the blood vessels while Albumen does not coagulate spontaneously
but will coagulate on the addition of heat and nitric acid. Fibrin
possesses the same chemical elements as Albumen but suppose to be in a
higher state of oxidation.
5. Medical Jurisprudence has for its
object the discrimination of poisonous substances, and how far a
Physician is justified in administering such articles without producing
their deleterious effects upon the system, and in criminal cases, to
determine whether the substance which was the cause of death, had been
given with intent to kill, or whether the fatal results, had arisen
merely from some constitutional peculiarity unknown to the Physician in
prescribing.
6. Reason that the components of the
atmosphere do not separate according to gravity, is owing according to
the law diffusion of gases, that when two gases of different specific
gravity are brought together, they will become intimately intermingled
with each other, without respect to their spec. gr. as has been proven
by experiments.
7. Spigelia or the Pinkroot of
common language is from the Spigelia Marilandica an anual [sic,
correction mark in pencil] plant of small size, with a branching root
which is the part employed in medicine. It grows in the Southern part
of the United States. Medical Properties are those of an anthelmintic,
and in overdose emetic and by some said to be poisonous. As an
anthelmintic it is one the most efficient. Generally given in the form
of decoction.
8. Empyema is caused either by an
inflammation of the pleura running in so as to lead to the formation of
pus by the bursting of a tubercle into the cavity of pleura or by the
opening of an abscess of the liver into the pleura.
Treatment consists in evacuating
the pas if it has no outlet for fear of its introduction into the blood
causing pyemia, and sustaining the strength of the patient by tonics, as
quinine, iron, beef tea with a good animal diet and if prostration is
very great give porter, ale, wine whey, brandy, carbonate of ammonia
etc. until the drain upon the system is checked. The operation consists
of making an opening into the chest in the intercostal space between 6 +
7 ribs and in cases arising from pleurisy, may stimulate the parts a
little by injecting a weak sol. of Iodine or Sol. of Muriated tincture
of iron.
9. Cases in which Strychnia is
employed as a medicine are generally those of a paralytic nature. It
acts most favorably in cases of partial paralysis generally showing its
action first in the part affected by pain and spasmoid twitchings which
is a sure sign that the system is brought under the influence of the
medicine. Given in hemiplegia paralysis of the bladder & various
affections of some nature.
Generally given in pill in doses of
1/12 to 1/16 gr. gradually increased. It is also given in the form of
extract made from the plant which produces the strychnia (Strychnos Nux
vomica) Employed externally where we wish to make a local impression,
in the form of ointment:. It should never be given during
the acute stage of the disease for fear of aggravating the existing
lesion but should be employed when the acute stage has passed off when
it acts most beneficially upon the system.
William H. Jones
U.S. Naval Asylum, Philada
August 12th 1863
Certificate of Physical Capacity.
I declare on honor that my health at
this time 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, hemorrhoids, nor am I
aware that there is any thing 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.
William H. James
Candidate for the office of Assistant
Surgeon in the Navy of the
United States.
U.S. Naval Asylum, Philada
August 8th 1862
[sic]
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