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:
Henry C. Nelson, M.D.
Naval Asylum, Philadelphia, Pa.
September 23rd 1863.
Gentlemen,
On the 9th day of May 1861
I received my commission as an Assistant Surgeon in the United States
Navy, and on the 19th of the same month I reported to Capt
Hudson at the Charlestown Navy Yard for duty on board the Receiving Ship
“Ohio”, where I remained being associated with Surgeon Wheelwright,
Surgeon of the Ship, until the 12th day of June following,
when I was ordered to join the U.S. Steam Sloop Susquehanna, then
fitting out for the Gulf Fleet. We sailed from Boston on the 3rd
of July and on the morning of the fifth made Cape Henry Va.
Unfortunately, when going into “Hampton Roads,” the starboard engine
became disabled, and it was necessary to tow the ship up to the
anchorage. After remaining in the “Roads” for ten days, we were ordered
to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for repairs. These detained the vessel
for some time. On the 23rd of August 1861, we were ordered
south and on the morning of the 28th we had the good fortune
to reach Hatteras Inlet in time to join in the attack which was to be
made on “Forts Hatteras + Clark.” The attack of the first date was
unsuccessful; it was renewed on the following morning at an early hour,
and at 11 A. M. Augt 29th 1861, the Forts and
nearly Seven hundred prisoners fell into our possession.
After the surrender of the above
forts the Susquehanna remained off “Hatteras” for some Six or Seven
weeks, when we sailed for Charleston for the purpose of rendering the
blockade at that place more efficient. Here we remained until the
expedition, under command of Admiral Dupont, passed on its way to
“Hilton Head” S.C. when the ship joined the “Fleet” and took a very
active part in securing to the U. States such a valuable harbor as Port
Royal. In the attack on the Forts at this place the ship was very
severely disabled, having been struck by the enemy forty times. Our
loss in killed was two; wounded eight. The slight loss of life was
owing to the fact that the “Fleet” made the attack at a closer range
then the enemy had calculated, and consequently the most of the shot
passed over the vessel.
Two days after this attack the vessel
was ordered back to Charleston and remained in that station until the
latter part of December.
We returned to Port Royal, remained
until the expedition sailed for the capture of “Fernandina” of which
place, the Susquehanna participated in.
Returning to Port Royal, after taking
in coal, we soon left for Charleston.
In May 1862 we were ordered to
Hampton Roads, to assist in the reduction of Yorktown, then besieged by
the “Army of Potomac”. This place was evacuated before the vessel
arrived. On the 9th of May 1862, we were order, together
with several other vessels, to attack “Sewells Point” for the purpose of
bringing out the “Merrimack”, the object of which was to engage her at
endeavour to destroy her. She came down to the mouth of the Elizabeth
river, but would not come out. On the morning of the 11th
following the Commander abandoned her after first setting her on fire so
as to ensure her destruction.
In June 1862, the “Susquehanna” was
ordered to the blockade off Mobile. We remained there until the 19th
of April 1863, when we sailed for N. York at which place we arrived on
the 7th of May – on the 14th of May I was detached
on leave; the 23rd was ordered to the Roanoke and July 2nd
I reported for duty at the Naval Hospital, N. York where I have remained
up to this time.
Very Respectfully
H. C. Nelson Asst
Surgeon, U.S.N.
Naval Medical
Board
Naval Asylum, Phila.
[No Q & A in 1863 Examination Book]
Dislocations of the femur
Dr. Nelson
The hip joint is a ball in socket
joint and is formed by the union of the three bones forming the ossa
innominate of the pelvis, and the head of the fever. This joint is one
of the most moveable in the body, and consequently very prone to
dislocations. The ligaments and muscles of this joint are as strong as
any in the whole body, and as a general thing strong force it is
required to cause luxation.
The dislocations of the femur are
four; viz. – backwards on the dorsum of the ilium; backwards and
downwards into the ischiatic notch; forwards on the pubis and downwards
and forward into the obturator foramen.
They are most usually confined to the
young persons and those of the middle period of life, because injuries
sufficient to produce dislocations in the young, most frequent cause
fractures of the neck of the femur in old age.
The causes may be divided into
predisposing and exciting. The predisposing may be said to be, age
character of the joint which allows of such freedom of motion, and the
condition of the ligaments and muscles
Young persons are more disposed to
this injury than the old for the reasons above mentioned; persons of a
relaxed habit of body, for the reason that the ligaments and muscle in
such subjects allow more freedom of motion in the joint.
The exciting causes are confined to
injuries. These are sometimes trifling and at others severe.
The most common are those sustained
by being thrown thrown [sic] from a horse, or a vehicle in motion, as a
carriage, rail road car, falls from heights: as down a pair of steps, or
from a tree. Any injury which causes the leg to be violently abducted,
adducted, extended or flexed, will cause the head of the bone to be
thrown out of its socket. The femur in these instances acts the part of
a lever. Falls upon the feet and knees are most commonly associated
with this injury. The dislocation will more surely occur if the injury,
which causes it, be applied suddenly, as it takes the antagonistic
muscles unawares and they are not able to respond in time to prevent the
luxation.
Dislocations of the femur are common
in “coxalgice,” for in this disease the ligaments and margins of the
cotyloid cavity are destroyed, and the head of the bone slips out of the
socket spontaneously, because there is nothing to keep it in.
Dislocations in such cases are always backwards.
Symptoms. In the dislocation upon
the dorsum ilii there is a tumor cause by the head of the bone on the
dorsum of the ilium. The patient suffers from severe pain and the
functions of the limb are destroyed. The natural rotundity of the hip
is wanting. The leg is shortened from an inch to two inches. The
shortening depends upon the length of time since the injury. At first
there is, in some cases, very little, on account of the muscles being
paralyzed by the severity of the injury. In determining the length of
the limb in such cases it is better to measure from the umbilicus as
this is always a fixed point whilst by the old way of measuring from the
Anterior Superior Spinous process of the ilium, may be rendered
uncertain on account of the oblique position the pelvis sometimes
assumes. The leg is slightly flexed, foot inverted and the ball of the
toe resting on the instep of the opposite limb. The axis of the thigh
is directed in a line which crosses the thigh of the sound limb at the
junction of the middle with the lower third of the femur.
In dislocation backward into the
ischiatic notch, the deformity about the hip is much the same as in the
above; sometimes the trochanter can be distinguished, if the swelling is
not great. The leg is increased in late, from half an inch to an inch
and a half; the leg is flexed slightly, and inverted. Pain is sometimes
very severe in this injury on account of the head of the femur pressing
upon the nerves which pass out through the sacrosciatic foramen.
In dislocation forwards upon the
pubes, the head of the bone is distinctly felt in that position; the leg
is strongly everted; little change in the length of the limb; leg
flexed. The injury is of rare occurrence.
Dislocation downwards and forwards is
known by the limb being lengthened from an inch to two inches; Straight
and there is sometimes slight inversion, evertion or neither. The
natural form of the hip is lost.
In luxations of the hip there is
always rupture of the capsular ligament and injury of the soft parts,
causing hemorrhage, consequently the parts are often much ecchymosed.
The forces to overcome in the
reduction of this injury are the contraction of the muscles and
resistance offered by the margin of the cotyloid cavity. The
indications in the treatment are to overcome the rigedity [sic] of the
muscles so that by a reasonable force the head of the bone may be made
to surmount the margin of the cavity and slip into its place.
The rigedity [sic] of the muscles,
before the introduction of chloroform and ether, were generally overcome
by hot baths, bleeding and Antimony, whilst at the same time a large
dose of opium with administered.
Anesthetics have superseded the
above remedies.
In the reduction of dislocations the
patient should be put fully under the influence of chloroform or ether.
Counter-extension is made by passing a sheet or perineal band, around
the injured side, and securing it to a staple in the wall or floor.
Extensions made by a band or she applied either above the knee or at the
ankle. Firm and steady traction should now be made by pullies [sic], or
Assistants, and as the head of the bone is disengage from its new bed in
the muscles and brought down opposite the cavity, the leg should be
everted, the muscles on the inside of the thigh act the part of a
fulcrum, and by this means the head of the bone is forced into its
natural position.
In the treatment backward into the
ischiatic notch the bands should be applied in the same manner.
Traction should be made across the opposite thigh until the bone is
forced from its new position. The fource [sic] should now be altered to
that made in reducing the above dislocation, and the bones forced into
its position by the same manipulations.
Sometimes it is necessary to place
the band under the trochanter, and by passing it over the shoulder of an
Assistant he steadies the pelvis with his hands and raises the head of
the bone up over the margin of the cavity.
Dislocation forward on the pubes is
treated by passing a sheet around the pelvis and securing it to a staple
in the floor or wall, another should be applied in the same manner as in
counter extension in dislocations backwards. This secure to a staple in
the wall on the injured side. Extension is made in the same manner as
before. Traction should be made very steady and at the same time the
leg should be carried across the opposite thigh. The perinial band acts
as a fulcrum in this case, and the head of the bone is forced outward
into its proper position. Dislocation into the obturator foramen is
treated in the same manner as the last.
Reads method of treating dislocation
of the hip is by manipulation. The leg is flexed on the thigh; the
thigh on the abdomen. The leg is now carried upwards to the opposite
side of the abdomen it is then carried to the injured side and at the
same time outward whilst it is extended and brought down to the straight
position. By this means the head of the bone often slips into its
place.
H C Nelson, Asst Surgeon
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