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: Eugene Patterson Robbins, M.D.
Charlestown Mar. 3rd.
'63.
Sir
I was born in Boston, Mass. Oct. 21st.
A.D. 1841. I was educated at a public school – the Mayhew, and
afterward spent five years at the public Latin school in Bedford Ct.
Owing to ill health, I was then at the age of sixteen, taken from my
studies, and went to Vermont, where I staid [sic] for one year. I
commenced the study of medicine in September 1859. My preceptor was Dr.
Wm E Townsend, until the spring of 1862, when I
entered Harvard Medical School. I have attended the winter
lectures at Harvard, since first becoming a Medical Student. I expect a
graduate at the coming commencement March 11th.
Last summer for four weeks I was ward
master on aboard the Sanitary Commission Steamship Dan Webster. During
the months of December and January I acted as Medical Cadet at the
hospital at fort Independence. (My service been voluntary.)
Very Respectfully,
Eugene P. Robbins
To: Dr. Rushenberger, Surgeon U.S.N.
Questions by the Board:
Dr. Eugene P. Robbins is requested to
write answers to the following questions
1. By what signs
and symptoms is acute bronchitis distinguished from pneumonia in the
first stage?
2. What is chyle,
when and how was it formed?
3. What is the
origin, course and distribution of the femoral artery?
4. What are the
physical properties of oxygen, and how may it be obtained in a separate
state?
5. Name the
officinal preparations of opium with the dose of each?
6. Define the
term “specific gravity”, “latent heat”, “temperature”, and “centre of
gravity”?
Answers by Robbins:
1. The constitutional symptoms are
more severe, In Pneumonia. The pulse is not so full and strong in
Bronchitis. Also, the physical signs of bronchitis, the crepitant rales,
and dullness, oftener affect both sides of the chest at once. The
Expectoration is more abundant in Bronchitis, and blood if present,
appears in streaks, and not diffused.
2. Chyle is a whitish fluid, which
is formed by the action of the intestinal fluids juices on the
food, after it has passed into the small intestine. The food, after
having been changed into chyle, is ready to be taken ["by it." squeezed
in below last line on page] up by the lacteals.
3. The Femoral artery arises from
the External Iliac, and passes down the thigh at its inner side,
following nearly the border of the sartorius muscle. Its most
superficial course, is the siteration [sic] of Scarpa’s triangle. It
becomes the popliteal, at the bend of the leg. In it’s course it sends
of [sic] branches to the muscles of the thigh, also one of the abdominal
walls.
4. Oxygen is a colorless gas, the
best supporter of combustion known, it is obtained from black oxide of
manganese by heating. It is a constituent – the principle of the
atmosphere, and enters largely into the composition of water.
5. Solid opium gr.j. Tincture of
opium gtts x to xx Camphorated Tincture gtts
xv-xxx Ipecac and opium (Dovers powder) gr.x – Morphia (usually
employed in the form of one of its salts) gr 1/12 – 1/6 Narcotina
(rarely use) gr 1/10
6. Specific gravity signifies the
relative weight of a substance as compared with some fixed standard.
Usually ascertained by the method of displacement.
Latent heat signifies the caloric
producing power of any substance.
Temperature, signifies the relative
dryness and moisture is only given the atmosphere.
The centre of gravity signifies, the
point of attraction to which molecular matter hands.
Eugene P. Robbins.
Charlestown, March 3rd
1863.
[Board comment in pencil]:
Sprightly with good foundation