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: Walter H. Wentworth, M.D.
I was born a town of Stockbridge
Berkshire county Massachusetts.
I entered Williams academy
Stockbridge at the age of eleven years, having obtained in knowledge of
the fundamental studies at the select school of M. Warner in the same
town. On airing the academy at took up the study of latin [sic] algebra
and geometry consecutively. I continued at this academy until I was
fifteen and was then sent to the Spencertown Academy in the town of
Austerlitz New York. At the later [sic] institution I continued with my
all studies until I left it to commenced study of Medicine.
I have not studied any of the
branches of Natural History nor am I acquainted with any of the modern
languages.
I commenced the study of Medicine
with W. H. Barnes M.D. of Austerlitz N.Y. between the 18th +
19th years of age. I attended my first course of lectures at
the Albany Medical College. I next went to New York and spent
two years in the study of medicine. In this time I attended the medical
and surgical cliniques at the Bellevue Blackwells Island and New York
Hospitals as well as those of my college and the Demilt Dispensary
and attended two full courses of lectures at the College of
Physicians and Surgeons. I graduated at the last mentioned college
March 12th 1863.
I had no opportunity for the practice
of pharmacy nor for observing the physical character of drugs except in
the Materia Medica cabinets of the colleges I have attended. For
observing the practice of medicine and surgery I have had good
opportunities as above indicated.
Philadelphia address Ashland House
Arch St. near 7th St. Post Office address Spencertown Col Co
N. Y.
Walter H. Wentworth
To the Examining Board
of candidates for the Commission of
Assistant Surgeon in the U.S. Navy.
Philadelphia March 26th
1863.
Questions by the Board:
Questions to be answered in writing,
by, Dr. Walter H. Wentworth.
1. What are the symptoms + treatment
of paronychia?
2. Describe the operation of
Laryngotomy.
3. What are the terminations of
inflammation?
4. Describe Diosma + its uses.
5. What is the pathology of Bright's
disease?
6. Write the officinal name of four
preparations of iron (without abbreviations).
7. What is Chloroform?
8. What are the sources of animal
heat?
9. How was venous, changed into
arterial blood?
Answers by Wentworth:
1 Paronychia Symptoms and
Treatment. The symptoms of this affection are a deep seated and
throbbing pain in the affected part with swelling and tenderness. There
is often some constitutional excitement.
Treatment. The only treatment that
gives permanent relief is incision deep down to the affected part.
After this poppy leaf fomentatious and poultices may be applied to
relieve pain.
2d Operation of
Laryngotomy. This operation is performed low down. The surgeon
commences by dividing the integument and fascia first. He next goes
down upon the larynx avoiding arteries that may lie in the way. After
it is reached an opening may be made into the larynx and the breathing
tube introduced.
3d Terminations of
Inflammation. The terminations of inflammation succinctly stated are
resolution, suppuration, ulceration, formation of false membranes,
effusion serum into the cavities and mortification.
4th Diosma and
its Uses. I am unacquainted with this by the above term.
5th Pathology of
Brights Disease. This disease is accompanied by two different states of
the kidney viz: the large fatty or granular and the small contracted or
fibrinous kidney. Early in the disease the kidneys in both forms are
congested. In the latter stages the large kidney becomes fatty and the
blood vessels present a stellate or arborescent appearance. In the
other form of disease the kidney becomes hard and contracted. The
contraction seems to be owing to a chronic inflammation and thickening
of its proper capsule as is the case with the capsule of Glisson in
cirrhosis. The casts (sediments) that occur in this disease are owning
to disease and disorganization of the lining membrane of the uriniferous
tubes and to the coagulation of blood effused into them.
6th Four preparations of Iron.
Limatura ferri, ferri carbonas, protoxide of iron and sesquioxide of
iron.
7th What is Chloroform? It is the
terchloride of formyle.
8th Sources of Animal Heat. This is
something that is not well understood yet I believe. Inever [sic] heard
anything about it in the lecture room. We know that in cold climates
man requires much more food and that too of a more oily character,
therefore being the more nutritious, than he does in a warmer climate.
This increase in quantity and difference in quality is required to keep
up the animal heat to its normal standard, more doubtless be required in
the cold and in the warm climate. This being so the source of animal
heat would seem to be the blood and indirectly the materia alimentaria
9th Blood changed from Venous to
Arterial. The blood is change from venous to arterial by the process of
osmosis through the moist mucous membrane which lines the air vesicles.
The venous blood being brought to this membrane and the atmospheric air
being drawn into the air cells the carbonic acid contained in the venous
blood escapes by exosmosis into the air vesicles and is replaced by the
oxygen of the air contained in the air cells by endosmosis.
Walter H.Wentworth
Naval Asylum, Philada
March 27th 1863
Certificate of Physical Capacity
I declare on honor that my health is
at this time 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.
Iam [sic] 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.
Walter H. Wentworth
Surgeon in the Navy of the United
States
U.S. Naval Asylum
Philadelphia
March 26th 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
