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 J. Donor, M.D.
[Examiners note in pencil]
Examination refused on account of his being not a citizen
Donor has no bio sketch or date on the Q & A. As
you can see he was not a citizen (from Western Canada) and therefore was
refused an examination. He did in fact enter the Navy in 1864. He is
incorrectly listed as William S. Donor in the Officers of the
Continental and US Navy... He had to have obtained permission and
retested in 1864 to gain appointment.
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by, Wm. J . Donor.
1. What are the symptoms of
inflammation?
2. Into how many stages is labor
divided, + how distinguished?
3. Write (in Latin) without symbols
or abbreviations, a prescription for a Balsam Copaiba mixture.
4. What is meant by sanguification,
and by what organs is this function performed?
5. What is meant by animal heat, and
how is it generated?
6. What is combustion chemically
speaking?
7. What are the symptoms and
treatment of Acute Laryngitis [sic]
8. What is digitalis – how used?
9. What effects are produced by an
excessive dose of Strychnia?
Answers by Donor:
1. The symptoms of inflammation are
local and constitutional; the local are heat, pain, swelling and
disordered function: the constitutional, are not marked unless the
inflam: be extensive, when there will be great restlessness, pulse, hard
+ full: secretions more or less disordered, + sometimes delirium.
2. Three stages: The 1st
is the dilitation [sic, correction mark in pencil] of the os uteri; the
2nd is the birth of the child, and the 3rd is the
expulsion from the uterus of the remaining contents, Placenta etc.
3. Generally used as an emulsion
Recipe -
Basalmi Copiaba ℥j
Gummi acaciæ
℥ij M
fiat emulsio:
4. Sanguification is bloodmaking,
performed by the absorbents and lacteals; the portal system and the
lungs.
5. Animal heat is the temperature
which is constantly kept up in the animal body: it is generated by the
combustion carried on in all parts the body.
6. Combustion is chemical action, as
in the lungs are carbonic acid is constantly given off and oxygen taken
in; in the tissues where the carbon of the broken down tissue unites
with Oxygen to form Carbonic acid.
7. Symptoms are dyspnoea, attended
with fever, husky voice, harsh cough and ordinary catarrhal symptoms,
breathing grows more difficult, face becomes flushed, eyes suffused and
watery, skin becomes covered with perspiration, expectoration of thick,
tenacious mucus, mucous rales are heard, portions of false membrane are
coughed up at times relieving the dyspnoea. Treatment. Is often
arrested in the catarrhal by large doses of paregoric, immersing patient
in warm bath, if symptoms are severe tartar emetic and ipecachuana
should be administered, while in the bath, if much febrile excitement
leeches and cops would be useful.
8. Digitalis, is a vegetable, is at
first stimulant then sedative, is also diuretic: is used in
inflammations, hemorrhages, and heart disease
9. The effects are poisonous,
producing spasmodic contraction of the muscles, called tetanic jerks
which are said to be characteristic of this poison
Wm J. Donor
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