Naval History and Heritage Command

National Library of Medicine 
History of Medicine Division
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894

Association of Medical Officers of the Confederate States of America
Papers

Medical Men in the Army of the Confederate States of America, includes Roster of medical officers, Confederate Army, Alphabetical list of Confederate surgeons, compiled by E. L. Rosse, Names of rebel surgeons from note book of excisions in C. S. Army, List of persons attending meeting of Association of Medical Officers of the C. S. A. and Navy held in Richmond, Virginia, October 19-20, 1875.

1 volume

Burge, J.H. Hobart
Papers, 1865

Essays on the Sea, two essays concerning naval medicine.

2 items

Bohio, USS
Papers, 1862-1864

Holograph journal kept by F. Higman, Surgeon's Steward, on board the U.S. Brig Bohio during its blockade duty in the Gulf of Mexico during the Civil War. The journal describes symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of approximately 180 named patients on a daily basis.

1 volume

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy
Records, 1831-1860

Autobiographical statements, examination essays, and for the period 1859-1860, answers to twelve examination questions from applicants for appointment or promotion. Essay topics include diseased, including yellow and remittent fevers, dysentery, and tetanus; medicines; and health practice, often drawing on shipboard experience. Correspondence attesting to the character, training, and/or age of the candidates is also found, though not in all cases. The bulk of the material is from 1831 to 1841, and from 1859 to 1860. Candidates include A.L. Gihon and Joseph Wilson.

In 1824 the Navy Department established a board in Philadelphia to conduct professional examinations of candidates for the medical corps. In 1828 assistant naval surgeons with five years' service could also apply for examination for promotion. The examinations were continued by the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery upon its creation in 1842.

0.6 feet

Cooper, Donald B.
Papers, 1952

Notes from courses on anatomy and physiology, minor surgery and first aid, laboratory technique, hygiene and sanitation, chemistry, pharmacy, nursing, and medicine taken by Cooper while a student in the Hospital Corps school.

4 volumes

Fox, John L.
Papers, 1838-1840

Fox was Assistant Surgeon on board Vincennes, under the command of Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, on the exploring expedition to the South Pacific and Antarctica from 1838-1842. He later served as Surgeon General of the U. S. Navy.

The journal notes the collecting of scientific specimens, conducting of anthropological studies, medical observations on the health of personnel aboard the ship and of various native populations, and includes a description of the preparation and cooking of the human body by cannibals in the South Pacific.

1 volume

Gatewood, James D.
Papers, 1893

Notes on naval hospitals, medical schools, and training school for nurses, with a sketch of hospital history.

2 volumes

Gillespie, John E.
Papers, 1865-1872

Medical journal kept while on board USS Mohican, and related materials.

2 volumes and 20 items

Horner, Gustavus R.B.
Papers, 1841-1844

Medical journal of the U. S. ship Delaware, from August 19, 1841 to March 4, 1844, by G. R. B. Horner, C. A. Hassler, J. Howard Smith, and S. A. McCreery.

74 pages

New York Seamen's Retreat Hospital
Records, 1831-1873

Register of persons received, 1831-1847; a detailed history and particular account of all cases received, by P. S. Townsend; Reports of Visiting Committee; Account book, 1831-1843; Superintendent's report to Visiting Committee, 1846-1847.

2 microfilm reels

Otis, Thomas
Papers, 1852-1867

Daybooks including lists of drugs and medicinal supplies sold to ships.

2 volumes

Parsons, Usher
Papers, 1820-1859

Medical notebook, 1820-1859, signed inside front cover: Usher Parsons, Surgeon, U. S. Navy, 1820.  Pages are numbered to 182; includes some notes on unpaged leaves.

1 volume

Schlack, Carl A.
Papers, 1946

A general survey of the United States Navy Dental Corps in World War II.

192 pages

Shelesnyak, Moses C.
Papers, 1946-1985

Dr. Shelesnyak received his doctorate from Columbia University, and taught physiology, pharmacology, and human growth and development. From 1942-1949 he was engaged in research projects with the U.S. Navy, including the Canadian Arctic Expedition: Operation Musk Ox. In 1950 he moved to the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, and was active in reproductive physiology research and population-family planning. He returned to the U.S. in 1967 and directed the Interdisciplinary Communications Program of the Smithsonian Institution until 1977.

Correspondence, diaries, photographs, reports, clippings, publications, and printed matter. Includes biographical data, correspondence files with individuals and organizations, U.S. Navy material relating to arctic research, meetings, and conference data, reviews, and publications.

7.9 feet

Shilling, Charles W.
Papers, 1947

History of submarine medicine in World War II, by C. W. Shilling and Jessie W. Kohl.

328 pages

Waterman, Zuriel and George
Papers, 1774-1817

Correspondence, memorandum books, journals, ledgers and daybooks. Correspondence is chiefly personal and includes letters from Peleg Arnold, Nathaniel Knight, and Benjamin Rhodes.

0.4 feet