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:
Erastus Romig Scholl, M.D.
Philadelphia
September 23d 1863
Gentlemen,
I was born in Fleetwood Berks County
Pennsylvania on the 21st day of July 1834. I am
twenty nine years two months in two days old to day, I attended common
school untill [sic, correction marks in pencil] I was fourteen years old
I was then sent to school with the Rev John Vandvere of Easton where I
remained for a little better than three years. I persued [sic,
correction marks in pencil] the ordinary course, except the last year
when I took up Latin and German, but I never studied Latin to any
extent, always preferring Physiology Chemistry etc I commenced the
study of Medicine when I was eighteen years old I read medicine with Dr.
C Keely at Boyertown Pennsylvania I attended my first course of
lectures in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Medical College in
my twentieth yeare [sic, correction marks in pencil] and graduated after
attending two courses. I also attended the Hospitals both sessions and
the Blackley Hospital for some time after I graduated, since then I have
practiced medicine I have also for the last four years had charge of the
County Alms House at Reading Pennsylvania I have also had considerable
practice in Surgery. I have successfully operated for stone in the
bladder – in one case.
My address in Philadelphia is
Merchants Hotel 4th St
between Market
and Arch St
When I am at home my address is
Reading, Pennsylvania
Erastus R Scholl
September 23d 1863
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by, E. K. [sic] Scholl
1. Give some account of
Cinchona and its preparations – their properties and uses
2. Describe the preparation of
Sulphuric Ether + give the rationale the process.
3. Give a classification detail
of the proximate elements of food –
4. Give the branches of the
internal Maxillary artery.
5. What are the rationale +
physical signs of Pneumonia?
6. Describe the physiology of
Respiration.
7. What are the means of arresting
hemorrhage?
8. What is hydrocele, and is its
diagnosis [sic]?
9. How do Surgeons divided tumours?
Answers by Scholl:
1 Cinchona is imported from South
America, generally from Perus [sic, correction marks in pencil], there
are several varieties as the Red and yellow bar, the properties of
Cinchona were discovered by the indians the Red variety is the most
valuable, and also produces the best preparations. The preparations of
Cinchona are first the, Tincture of the bark. Sulphate of Quinia and
Cinchomira [sic] is the preparation mostly employed in medicine and is a
valuable remedy in fevers. The properties of Sulphate of Quinia and all
the preparations are febrifuge – the action of Quinia are stimulant and
excitant. The uses of Quinine are in fevers generally of all types
produced by miasm, or miasmatis [sic] causes, it is also given as a
tonic in very many disease [sic, correction marks in pencil], and in
combination with Iron forms one of our most valuable tonics known as the
Citrate of Iron and Quinia as a tonic it is generally given in one grain
doses every three or four hours. by some it has been employ in very
large doses (the Sulphate of Quinine) in Congestive Fever, and I belive
[sic, correction marks in pencil] with good results in malarious
districts it is often employed in small doses as a preventative
[correction marks in pencil] to fever this is a common practice along
our southern coast.
Sulph Ether.
2 Sulphuric Ether, is an etherial
[sic] liquid colorless, it is very inflamable [sic, correction marks in
pencil], evaporates very rapidly producing cold it is often used
locally in painful local affections of the skin, and also internally by
inhalation as an anethetic [sic] agent. in spasmodic affections and
during the performance of surgical operations. it is prepared by the
action of Sulphuric Acid on Alcohol the Sulphuric Acid takes away one
equivalent of water from the Alcohol leaving Sulphuric Ether –
3 The proximate elements of food are
Albumen, Fibrin, Chondrin, Ceasine [sic], Starch, Shugar [sic,
correction marks in pencil], and Gum, Gelitin [sic]
4 The branches of the Internal
Maxillary artery are Middle miningeal [sic], superior and inferior
dentata, orbital superior laryngeal inferior laryngeal tympanic,
buxinator [sic, correction marks in pencil],
5 The rational signs of Pneumonia,
are Fever with all its concomitants, pain in the lungs in the place
where the inflamation [sic] is located the pain vairing [sic] with the
extent of the disease, rust colored sputa The physical Signs are
dulness [sic] on percussion where the inflamation [sic] exists and also
in auscultation the imperfect areation [sic] in the lung producing the
sibilant rahl [sic] and other signs depending more particularly on the
peculiar state of each individual case,
6 The Physiology of Respiration,
this physiological action consists in taking into the lungs atmospheric
air, and giving off Carbonic Acid. The oxygen taken into the lungs at
each inspiration changes the color of the blood from a light red into a
bright red, it also in this action evokes heat, that is oxidation
to be carried on must have oxygen, carbonic acid gas is given of
[sic] from the lungs so that during the act of respiration oxygen is
taken into the blood and carbonic acid given off – oxygen being
necessary to support life,
7 Hemorrhage may be arrested, 1st
by Ligature compression, tortion [sic], stryptics [sic], astringents
cold, and other measures are often employed.
8 What is hydrocele, this disease
consists of an effusion of serum in the tunica vaginalis testis, this is
often caused by injuries to the parts, it is not a painful affection.
The diagnosis is made by making the
tumor tense and placing a lighted candle oposite [sic, correction marks
in pencil] to where your eye is the transparency can never be
mistaken. This should be done in a dark room,
9 Surgeons generally divide
tumours, into malignant and nonmalignant
Fibrous, Indolent, Cystic Serous, etc.
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
