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: Samuel Foster Quimby, M.D.
On the 16th day of May
1840, I was born in the city of Salem County of Essex in the state of
Massachusetts. My mother Mary Flint Quimby and father Elisha Quimby
M.D. were, both, born in Salem, Mass. and have passed their lives in
that place. They have had six children three of whom are still living. I am 22 years and 10 months of age.
I was educated in the public schools
of my native city, passing through the limits of the course in the Latin
+ High Schools. In September, 1857, I entered Brown University,
Providence, R.I. and passed successfully the classical branches of the
first two years. In the month of July 1859, I took my honorary
discharge and prepared under my father’s auspicies [sic, correction
marks in pencil] to finish my medical education prescribed in my earlier
days.
I matriculated, the ensuing Fall, at
Harvard Medical College, and attended the lectures of the entire course
residing in Boston under instructions of Dr. Winslow Lewis, Consulting
Surgeon of the Mass. Gen. Hospital and Ispector [sic] of Rainsford
Island Hospital in Boston Harbor. My father’s and Dr. Lewis’ name [sic]
were registered at Harvard as “Instructor.” In May 1860 I received
appointment as Assistant Surgeon in the Rainsford Island Hospital under
Dr. Lemuel M. Barker, Superintendent, and in latter part of August 1861
I was discharged with honorable specifications of efficiency and talent
by Dr. Fred Winsor who assumed the duties of that station, on the 1st
of June 1861. Dr. Barker, also gave me his certificate of satisfaction,
etc. Pursuing my studies through the thirteen months at Rainsford, I
had onerous duties imposed, in the care of nearly one thousand and five
hundred patients, of diseases to which the flesh of the poor and alien
is heir, in connection with two fellow assistants, for the first ten
months, and with one only, Dr. Robt. T. Edes Asst. Surgeon U.S.N. – at
present – for the three following months. The care of the ‘Dispensary’
was entrusted to me for four months, with two wards in which I exercised
my former ideas inculcated by my father in whose pharmacy I had, often,
instructions. The venereal of both sexes was alas attached to for the
remainder of my sojourn there, with care of the “Lying in” Wards, and
other miscellaneous diseases with which the Hospital was constantly
filled, including the numerous cases of variola which raged in the
Winter and Spring of 1860.
With the opening of the next winter
course, I procured the tickets and attended until the 22d of
February when I received an appointment as acting Asst. Surgeon in the
United States Navy and thence, with permission of the Faculty of Harvard
Med. College, reported for duty at New York.
On the 19th of March 1862
I sailed in the U.S. Steamer “Wamsutta” as the Medical Officer. After
our arrival blockaded the coast of Georgia and on the 18th of
November 1862 arrived in New York.
Conclusion.
In connection with the Hospital
practices Surgery was, considerably, witnessed in its minor forms and
occasionally a capital operation which we attended in treatment etc.
My knowledge of Natural History has
not been obtained by special perusal, but in connection with my academic
and medical studies, was alone derived.
German + French were each pursued
scarcely be on the preliminary rudaments [sic, correction marks in
pencil] of the grammars, my subsequent change in studies somewhat
obtunding my knowledge of them.
On the 17th of January
1863 I was detached from the “Wamsutta” and considered “to be Waiting
Orders.”
My official address in Salem, Mass.
Box 88.
Very Respectfully
Yr. obt. Servt.
Saml. F. Quimby
A.A.Surgeon, U.S.N.
To the Naval Board
of Examiners for the
Medical Department.
Naval Asylum,
Philadelphia, Pa.
March 11th 1863.
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by, Saml F. Quimby.
1. What is neuralgia, I its symptoms
+ causes?
2. What are the symptoms + causes of
Palsy?
3. Describe the symptoms of
Phlegmasia Dolens.
4. What is meant by Zymotic
diseases. [sic]
5. In a physiological sense what is
death?
6. The different modes of death
physiologically?
7. What are the effects of Tobacco
as Medicine and as a poison?
8. What is Herpes?
9. Write a prescription, without
abbreviations for a Cough mixture suitable for a Case of Chronic
Bronchitis.
Answers by Quimby:
1st Neuralgia is not a
disease of the nerves in particular but morbid sensibility under exalted
or depress states of all the system. It consists of local pain sharp
twinging, lancinating sometimes, dull tender under pressure and
paroxysmal in its nature, produced by anything sedative beyond reacting
power of system, such as exposure to cold, diseased state of blood,
[unclear], chlorosis + suspension of activity in different [unclear].
2nd. Palsy, consist in
numbness, or hyperaesthesia of some locality, sometimes general in its
affects coming on sometimes sudden, or slowly, generally in the distal
portions of extremities occurring and more frequently in the aged and
infirm the result of cerebral disease, not yet, positively confirmed,
though attributed to softening of encephalon generally to the side or
hemisphere opposite to the side effected [sic, correction mark and “a”
in pencil]. Sometimes Paralysis is a result of apoplectic engorgement
of some centre of the brain likewise seated on the opposite division of
the brain but not always – at present a mooted question.
3rd Phlegmasia Dolens
Paralysis is often cause by the interruption of the nervous
influence a nerve by pressure by tumour section by wounds, or ulcers,
abscesses replicating nerves and destroying, the nerves are peculiarly
innocuous under such circumstances as the latter.
3rd Phlegmasia Dolens is
known by –
4th Zymotic diseases are
the affections which occur in certain localities and rarely known to
wander; attacking certain classes under certain conditions; in other
words are endemic diseases.
5th Death,
physiologically, is the permanent suspension of all vital functions.
6th Death occurs under
various circumstances, by overstimulation, or extreme depression of vis
vitae, by interruption of circulation of blood mechanically, as in
asphyxiate by cerebral disease suspending nervous influence.
7th Tobacco produces upon
the system sedative affects: is capable of relaxing the muscular tissue,
of producing emesis of retching and prolonged nature with usual
depressing the systemic effects, it is used to lull pain under its
narcotic affects and reduce spasm. As a poison, it produces prostration
nervous forces attended with relaxation of perspiratory system, exciting
peristaltic action of bowels mucous discharge with bilious flux, emesis
of mucous and bilious contents of stomach causing increase of mucus in
bronchial tubes which however is an object arrived at medicinally. [sic]
8th Herpes is disease the
skin marked by vesicular irruptions and scaly desquamation combined with
discharge of matured vesicles occurring on hands, forearm, in its
complex varieties it attacks various portions of the body.
9th Cough Mixture for
Chronic Bronchitis.
Recipe
Tinctura
Lobeliae Inflatae drachmas duas
Syrupi Scillae
unciam unam
Tinctura
Sanguinariae drachmas duas
Syrupi
Simplicis unciam unam
Misce Bene et
Signetur
Una drachma
vel coclear ter in die sumatur.
Respectfully
Saml. F. Quimby
Certificate of Physical Capacity
I declare, on honor, that my health
at this time is good and robust, and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I am free from any accidental or constitutional defects, and
without any predisposition to Epilepsy, Phthisis, Gout, Apoplexy, or
chronic disease of any kind. I am [sic]
I am not, at present, affected with
varicocele, disease of the Urinary Organs, Hernia, or hemorrhoids; nor
am I aware that there is anything hereditary in my constitution, which
would hereafter be likely to incapacitate me for the arduous duties of a
Medical Officer of the Navy.
All my organs of sense are without
imperfection.
Respectfully,
Saml. F. Quimby, A. A.
Surgeon, U.S.N.
Candidate for the office
of Asst.
Surgeon U.S
U.S. Naval Asylum,
Philadelphia
1863.
