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: J.
W. Riglander, M.D.
To The Board of Examiners.
Gentlemen,
I was born in the City of New York in
the County of New York. The State of New York on the second
day of August 1840.
I have pursued the studies at School
of Reding [sic, correction mark in pencil] writing speling [sic,
correction marks in pencil] Arithmetic Geography and the other things
connected with the Comon [sic, correction marks in pencil] School
education. My clasical [sic, correction marks in pencil] as well as
Scientific education I can say very little about for I have (not)
[parentheses added in pencil] received but very little of either; I have
not studied any branch of Natural history all the modern languages that
I am acquainted with home are English + German.
I have studied in the first place
with H. A. Ackley Prof(f) [parentheses added in pencil] of Surgeory
[sic] at the Cleveland Medical College after that I commenced and
finished with Dr. R. S. Strong at Cleveland Ohio I am a graduate of the
Medical College in Cleveland Ohio
The opportunities it I have had for
the Practise [sic, correction marks in pencil] of Pharmacy are that I
have for two years been conected [sic, correction marks in pencil] with
a Prescription Store.
I have for nearly two years been in
the U.S. Marine Hospital daily with my Preceptor who was Surgeon there,
wer [sic, correction marks in pencil] I could see the Physical
properties of Medicine I also say that I had a good chance of observin
[sic, correction marks in pencil] the Practise [sic, correction marks in
pencil] of Medicine as well a Surgeory [sic] there.
Dr. J. W. Riglander
My address in Philadelphia is 920 Mt
Vernon Str.
My address is No 70 Seventh Str when
in New Yor [sic]
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing
by Dr. J. W. Riglander
1. What are anasthætics [sic], + how
employed in Surgery?
2. What is hemorrhage, causes, +
treatment etc? (succinctly.)
3. What are the signs of pregnancy?
4. Describe the action of the
stomach in the process of digestion—
5. What is the Sweet Spirit of Nitre?
describe the mode of preparing it + give the rationale of the process –
6. Describe the preparation of
Sulphuric Acid and give the theory of the process.
7. Give the coverings of an indirect
inguinal Hernia.
8. Give the physical signs of the
Phthisis.
9. What are the symptoms, diagnosis
and treatment of Scarlatina?
Answers by Riglander:
1 Anasthætics [sic] are preperations
[sic, correction marks in pencil] used in Surgery to make the patient
insensible to pain during an operation or otherwise. The way they are
employed is on a sponge towel in a film [?] or in some such a maner
[sic, correction marks in pencil], and held over the patients mouth and
nose so as they can be inhaled and bring the person under the efects
[sic, correction mark in pencil].
2. Hemorrhage is a flow of
Blood which may be caused by the rupture of the vesel [sic, correction
mark in pencil] in various ways also is the result of a wound which may
be produced in varius [sic correction mark in pencil] ways. There are
diferent [sic, correction mark in pencil] ways of treating it such as
Steptects [sic, correction marks in pencil] compreses [sic correction
mark in pests] Bandages Ligatures cold applications
3d The Signs
of Pregnancy are stopage [sic, correction mark in pencil] of menes
sickness of stomach, mausia [sic, correction mark in pencil] loss of
apetite [sic, correction mark in pencil], uneasiness of patient
enlargement of abdomen depression of naval [sic, correction mark in
pencil] enlargement of mamary [sic, correction mark in pencil] glands
brownish apearance [sic, correction mark in pencil] of the nipples also
the peculier bloting [sic, correction mark in pencil] sound over abdomen
near the center [sic, correction mark in pencil] also movements of the
child may sometimes be felt.
4th. The action of
the Stomach during digestion is a peristaltic motion Produced by the
muscular fibers [sic, correction mark in pencil] during this time it
secreets [sic, correction mark in pencil] more gastric juise [sic,
correction mark in pencil] on account of the food beeing [sic] in the
stomach the Gastric juise [sic, correction mark in pencil] softens the
pulp and by the mucular [sic, correction mark in pencil] action of the
stomac [sic, correction mark in pencil] it is expelled in to the
duodenum.
5th. Sweets Spirit
[sic, correction marks in pencil] of Nitre is a clear Solution in colour
like water but lighter is a diuretic and also a diaphoretic. it is made
by the distillation of Nitric Acid and Spts [sic, correction mark in
pencil] in the following manner the Spts and acid are placed in the
retort [sic, should be “retoit”] the Spts Nitre is distilled over while
some of the acid is kept in the retoit.
6. Sulphuric Acid is a clear
liquid in colour it is like water when it is pure and not unchanged but
is much heavier, it is very easily chainged [sic, correction mark in
pencil] in colour by it [sic, correction mark in pencil] beeing [sic]
exposed to light and also by a foreigne [sic, correction mark in pencil]
body comeing [sic, correction mark in pencil] in contact with it and
beeing [sic, correction mark in pencil] there for some time, it is
prepared of Sulphur + Oxygen its Symbol it is S.O.3 I am at
present at a loss to tell how the preperation [sic, correction mark in
pencil] is made and the process that is to be gone threw [sic,
correction mark in pencil] with in making it.
7. The coverings of an indirect
inguinal Hernia are integiment [sic, correction mark in pencil]
superficial fascia intercolumner [sic, correction mark in pencil] fascia
conjoined tendon of internal oblique + transversalis muscle
transversalis fascia an [sic] hernial [sic, correction mark in pencil]
sac.
8. The Physical signs of the Phthisis
Are to my knowledge short breath on walking especialy [sic, correction
mark in pencil] on walking brisl [sic, correction mark in pencil] and in
givng [sic, correction mark in pencil] up stairs and after taking
exersise [sic, correction mark in pencil] raising up of mucopurulent
mater [sic, correction mark in pencil] in the morning after coughing
night sweats debility softening and wasting of muscles iregularity [sic,
correction mark in pencil] of the bowels in some cases loss of apetite
[sic, correction mark in pencil] at times at other times the apetite
[sic, correction mark in pencil] may be very good dullness on percussion
over affected part pain in chest and back while coughing also pain in
both places at times when the person is trying to walk fast or exersise
[sic, correction mark in pencil] also on bending over pain may
frequently be felt there is also a good deel [sic, correction mark in
pencil] of spitting of mucus durring [sic, correction mark in pencil]
the day and night which keeps the patient uneasy there is also at times
hemorrhage from lungs which is very debilitating and the patients
frequently expired during one of these attacts [sic, correction mark in
pencil] of bleeding there is at times restlessness at night which is the
frequentn [sic, correction mark in pencil] result for the want of
breath.
9th The Symptoms of
Scarlatina are hot dry skin flushed face discharge from from [sic] Eyes
and nose inflamation [sic] of mucus coat of nose mouths & throat sore
throat high colour of urine quick pulse
Diagnosis are diffused [sic,
correction mark in pencil] Scarlet rash mostly over trunk and uper [sic]
extremities high fever the sore throat also the discharge from nose and
eyes enlargement of the glands in the throat which are usualy [sic] the
result of the inflamation [sic] in the throat there may be some cough
and pain in the abdomen sometimes the tongue is also coated
Treatment consists in diureticts
[sic, correction mark in pencil] diaphoreticts [sic, correction mark in
pencil] sedatives good and wholesome air blisters and warm applications
to the neck are offadvantage [sic, correction mark in pencil] at times
and in low stages stimulants will be found necessary to keep the patient
up. care must be taken after the patient gets out for after Scarlatine
[sic] a person is suscceptible [sic, correction mark in pencil] to
varius [sic, correction mark in pencil] other diseases.
Dr. J. W. Riglander
Philadelphia
Sept 25th 1863.
