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:
Philon Currier Whidden, M.D.
Navy Yard Charlestown
Nov 24th/63
Dear Sirs:
I was born in the State of Illinois
on the 21 of November 1839. At the end of three years my parents
removed to Dover New Hampshire, where at a suitable age I entered the
public Schools. Leaving them in my thirteenth year, I became a student
at the Academy in South Berwick Maine, where I remained the greater part
of four years.
In January 1859 I commenced the study
of Medicine under the tuition of Dr. T. H. Jewett of South Berwick, with
whom I studied untill [sic] the commencement of the Winter Lectures at
the Harvard Medical School, which I attended. Soon after the
breaking out of the war, I enlisted in the 13th Reg Mass
Vol’s, and served in the ranks until the battle of Antietam, where I
received a flesh wound in the calf of the leg, disabling me from further
active duty. At the beginning of the Summer School at the Medical
College in Boston, I was sufficiently recovered to attend the
course, and obtaining furloughs from time to time, I did so. This
brings me to the date of my application to you.
Your obedient servant
P. C. Whidden
10 Lindall Place Boston
Dr Ruschenberger U.S.N.
Questions by the Board:
Mr. Philon C. Whidden is requested to
write answers the following questions.
1. What are
the officinal preparations of opium: state the dose of each?
2. What are
the diagnostic symptoms of bronchitis?
3. What are
the indications of treatment in dysentery?
4. What is the
composition of atmospheric air?
5. What parts
enter into the structure of the knee joint?
6. What are
the physical properties of hydrogen?
Answers by Whidden:
1. Tinc Opii
Opii j
ss
℥ Alcohol
ij O
Dose x – xxv gtt xix gtt
contain j
gr opium
Camph Tinc, Opium, Benzoic Acid
j
ʓ O
l
Anise,
ʓ
j Clarified Honey
ij
℥ Camphor
ij ℈
Alcohol ij O
ss ʓ
contains j
gr opium Dose xx ɱ
to j
ʓ
Acetum Opii, Nutmeg, Safron [sic],
Sugar
vij
gtt contain j
gr opium Dose v – x gtt
Pulv Ipecach [sic] et Opii
Opium Ipecach [sic] ad j
ʓ
Sulph Potassa
j
℥ x gr
contain
j
gr Opium Dose v-xv gr
Morphia 1/6 gr to
j
gr Opium Dose 1/6 gr
Sulph Morph " "
" " "
Actas " "
" " " "
2 Fever, Dry skin, Quick pulse, Pain
in chest Cough, Expectorations at first slight and mixed with the air
afterwards copious thick and in lumps Mucous Rales
3. To clear the bowels of irritating
matter To check inflammation or irritation and diminish the secretion
4. Oxygen two equivalents Nitrogen
one half Hydrogen one and a half
5. Bone the femur the tibia +
fibulae
Cartilage lateral crucial
Semilunar
Ligaments the lateral, crucial,
sinovial [sic]
6 . Colorless gass [sic]. The
lightest substance in nature Inflamable [sic]
Philon C. Whidden
Nov 24th 1863
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