Putting a face on it

I'm reviewing the first batch of Contributed Photographs to be uploaded to our database, and have started coming across photos of soldiers injured at Antietam and Gettysburg. It's not often we can put faces to the statistics of this war, but here's one example of a soldier injured at Gettysburg. This is what the record says:

Ludwig Kohn, private, Co. I, 214th Pa. Vols., aged 26, admitted to Harewood U.S.A. General Hospital, August 15, 1865, suffering from gunshot wound of chest, right side, ball fracturing third rib, transfixing chest, exit below scapulae same side. Wounded July 1, 1863, at the battle of Gettysburg, Pa. On admission to this Hospital, the parts had nearly healed; but patient states that the wound soon after the injury became gangrenous with considerable sloughing of soft parts; spit blood at time, and that the wound was so painful as to deprive him of his night’s rest; could not lie on his back, but was obliged to sit up day and night. There is still a slight fistulous opening, but otherwise parts entirely healed; is in very good constitutional state, and is now awaiting his discharge from U.S. service.

Contributed by R.B. Bontecou

Poetry in Wartime

I read in today's paper that April is National Poetry Month. We have a small in-house exhibit and quite a nice one online about Walt Whitman, who nursed during the Civil War, and wrote quite a bit about his experiences in both poetry and prose. The internet archive has a lot you can download for free.

Letter of the Day: April 6 (2 of 2)

The sketchbook Young provided is still in the Museum

 

Cincinnati Ohio

April 6 1866

 

Sir

 

Since I saw you last August, I have been very much engaged in arranging my business and getting settled again in civil life which together with a separation from my drawings and notes has prevented me from completing and forwarding the drawings of gunshot wounds for exchange for photographs of specimens in the A.M. Museum as agreed upon at that time. The original was sketched hurriedly, and at periods more or less separate, and it appeared at the time, I entered into the arrangement with you, a comparatively slight task to reproduce them. But when pressed with other affairs, I have found them more tegious [ie tedious]  than I had anticipated. The originals were necessarily rough but I thought at the time they generally gave fair representations of the subjects which they were intended to illustrate.  And now with better opportunities for more perfect finish, I have found it very difficult to depart from the original sketches in this respect and retain the true characteristics of the lesions that were presented in the rough originals.

 

I have selected injuries of the soft tissues, instead of those of the bones, as what I have of osseous structures, would be but a repetition of what you have such an abundance. The histories accompanying them are brief  from the character of the wounds, the short time we had them under our care, and the difficulty of hearing from them after leaving us. I also have been unfortunate in losing many of my notes of great interest to me upon many of the subjects. But I hope they will meet your anticipations.

 

Will you please be kind enough to inform me when and how if it be possible I can procure a catalogue of the A.M. Museum, also of the wood cuts, which, I understand are being prepared by the Dept. Having taken great interest in all matters of surgery during the war, I still feel a desire to procure all I can pertaining to it, that may reasonably come within my reach. And thanking your for the extreme kindness you have shown me heretofore I remain truly

 

Yours, most respectfully etc

 

D.S. Young, late,

Surge 21^st Regt, O.V.Vs [Ohio Veteran Volunteers]

 

Letter of the day, April 4

Is it just me, or is this adding insult to injury?

Surgeon General’s Office
Washington City, D.C.
April 4th, 1866.

Sir:

I am directed by the Surgeon General to request you to furnish this office with the following information in regard to the amputations performed on your left leg.

The name of the Surgeon who performed the first operation in July 1864. The causes which led to the 2nd operation. The date of said operation, and the name of the Surgeon. The date of your discharge from the service, and the present condition and amount of usefulness of the limb.

Very respectfully,
Your obedt. servant,
By order of the Surgeon General,
George A. Otis
Surgeon & Bv’t. Lt. Col U.S. Vols.

N.G. Frost,
Late Pvt. Co. “G” 32 Me. Vols.
Norway, Me.
East Cambridge, Mass.
Thro: Adj. General of Maine.

Letter of the day, April 3

Ow. [And perhaps more to the point, that's coming through a former Confederate surgeon who wrote a military surgery manual for the South - MR]

Surgeon General’s Office
Washington, D.C.
April 3 [18]68.

Sir,

I am instructed by the Surgeon General to acknowledge the reception through Dr. J.J. Chisolm of Charleston, S.C. of a musket ball removed from the bladder by lithotomy and contributed by you to the Army Medical Museum together with a history of the case, and to express to you his thanks for this valuable and interesting donation. The specimen will be numbered 5019 of the Surgical Section, A.M.M. and classified as XX.C.A. 26 in a future edition of the catalogue.

I am, Sir,
Very respectfully, Your obedt. servant,
By order of the Surgeon General,

Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.

Dr. F.T. Miles,
Charleston, S.C.

Letter of the day, March 30

I was just talking with our Registrar this morning about how people hate to do paperwork.

Surgeon General’s Office
Washington D.C.
March 30” 1865.

Sir:

The Reports of Wounded, Surgical Operations &c from the Hospital under your charge for the quarter ending September 30” 1864 have not as yet been received and the several circulars sent you from this office have been disregarded.

The Surgeon General directs that the reports be prepared and forwarded immediately.

Very respectfully,
Your obdt. Servt.
C.H.C. [Deputy Surgeon General Charles H Crane, but probably Otis]
Surgeon U.S.A.

Asst. Surg. H. Allen U.S.A.
In charge “Mt. Pleasant” U.S. General Hospital
Washington D.C.

Letter of the day, March 29

A day late - no internet access yesterday.
I wonder how likely it would be that Bontecou remembered the details from case to case.

Surgeon General’s Office
Washington D.C.
March 29th 1866.

Colonel:

In your report of Hygeia Hospital the case of Chandler with excision of the elbow is detailed. From your letter of the 27th inst. I learn that there was another Chandler for whom you excised the head of the humerus.

Will you have the kindness to give me as nearly as you can recollect the occasion & date of the wound, and date and extent of the operation in the latter case, the nature of the after treatment and the date of the exchange.

I am, Colonel, very respectfully,
Your obedt. servant,
By order of the Surgeon General,
George A. Otis
Surgeon and Bv’t. Lt. Col. U.S.V.

Bv’t. Lt. Col.
R.B. Bontecou,
Surgeon, U.S. Volunteers

Accession of the day, March 25

I'm getting a little free and easy with the accessions of the day. My rule. If today's date appears in the record, it counts.


Photographic Series Number 101. Group of Officers who have undergone amputation for gunshot injuries.

The officer on the right of the group is Captain Charles H. Houghton, who was wounded before Petersburg, March 25th, 1865, by a fragment of shell, which comminuted the condyles of the right femur. Circular amputation at the middle third was preformed the same day. On July 30th Captain Houghton was discharged from hospital well.

Next in order is Captain Edward A. Whaley, 6th Wisconsin Volunteers, whose right femur was fractured by a musket ball, at Five Forks, Virginia. April 1st, 1865. Amputation was performed immediately. On May 15th, he walked on crutches, and on August 15th went to his home well.

His neighbor, Lieut. Moretz Lowenstein, was similarly wounded at the same battle. He underwent immediate amputation, and recovered sufficiently to use crutches on May 12th.

Lieut. W.H. Humphreys had both bones of the right leg shattered by a shell, on April 2d, in the assault on the lines before Petersburg. Amputation at the lower third of the thigh was performed on the field. He was discharged from hospital August 14th, 1865.

Colonel George R. Maxwell, 1st Michigan Cavalry, had his left femur fractured by a musket ball at Five Forks, Virginia, April 1st, 1865. His thigh was amputated at Armory Square Hospital on April 19th. He left the hospital "well" on August 13th.

Lieut. W.C. Weeks, 5th Michigan Cavalry, was shot through the left ankle joint on April 1st, 1865, and a Pirgoff amputation was performed the same day by the surgeon of his regiment, Dr. St. Clair. He had a firm stump by the latter part of June.

Behind the other figures stands Lieut. J.G. Turke, whose right humerus was shattered at Fort Haskell, near Petersburg, March 25th, 1865, by a musket ball. He made a rapid recovery after an amputation at the shoulder joint.

The other standing figure is Acting Assistant Surgeon C.P. Porte, U.S.A., who communicated the memoranda of the cases. All of them were treated at Armory Square Hospital at Washington.
A.M.M. 4001.

Letter of the Day: March 3 (2 of 2)

Brooklyn, Mar. 3. 68

 

My dear Doctor,

 

Your favor of the 29^th Ult. Is just received and I feel greatly obliged to you for the advice you have tendered me in reference to Francis, of which I shall avail myself.

 

It is a pity that the examining surgeons of Brooklyn have been ill-chosen. None of them enjoys reputation or public confidence, and Burdick belongs to the eclectic school of quackery. I doubt very much whether one of them is capable to realize the actual condition of the patient. However I will assist in the matter and see that justice is meted out in the premises.

 

The specimen you refer to is at your disposal and will be sent with the others, if you deem it worth your while to add it to the museum. I am however, unable to furnish you with the items of the case to which I paid no attention when at Fortress Monroe.  Dr. Bontecou of Troy N.Y. may be able to furnish you with the desired information, for he was the medical director of the Hygeia Hospital at the time. The specimen intended for you I shall send at my swiftest leisure.

 

Very sincerely yours

Louis Bauer

 

Geo A. Otis, M.D.

Lieut. Col.  & Asst. Surg. U.S.A.

 

PS In what way will I send it so as to incur no expenses.

 

LB

Letter of the Day: February 23 (1 of2)

Col Rucker

 

Sir

 

The 86^th Regt N.Y. Vols. Being ordered to remove from Camp Griffin, Va. to Fort Good Hope, Md., you are requested to furnish transportation. 100 wagons will be required.

 

(Sgd.) Byron Spruce RQM

 

Endorsed by Col. Rucker as follows

 

100 Wagons & 20 four-horse ambulances furnished Feby 23.

(Sgd.) D.H.R.

 

The above will show the amount of transportation required to move a regiment 4 miles in  the month of February 1862.

Letter of the Day: February 10 makeup

 

Office Post Surgeon

Department of the Arkansas,

Headquarters, U.S. Forces,

Mouth of White River, Ark., Feby 10^th 1865

 

Brig Gen’l  J.K. Barnes,

Surgeon General U.S.A.

 

Sir:

 

I have the honor to present & express to you, the skeleton of a Rebel “Guerilla,” who was wounded in an attempt to capture this Post in June last.

 

I found his remains whilst out riding yesterday, about ½ mile in the rear of the Camp at this place, at which Place, I am informed he was carried by his comrades, & died from his wounds. I shall endeavor to get a history of his case, & forward to you, as it may no doubt be of interest to the profession.

 

I have the honor to be General,

 

Very respectfully

Your obdt. Servt.

H.S. Hammen

A.A. Surgeon U.S.A.

Post Surgeon

Letter of the Day: February 22

18 Clinton St.
Brooklyn
Feb 22 1871

General –

One day last week I sent you, by Express, a Tumor weighing 41 ½ pounds. It was taken from the abdomen of a man, after death. I made the post mortem for Dr. Brown of this city who promised to send me a history of the case on the following day. The Dr. called at my office last evening and said that he had been so buys in his practice that he had found no time to write the history but promised to see to it and send it to me this morning.

I have not yet received it, but will without doubt receive it in a day or two, and will then forwarded it to you with post mortem appearances.

This morning Hiram B. Smith, late Private 9th Co. Ohio Sharper Shooters called on me. He was a patient of mine at Armory Squa5e hospital suffering from gunshot fracture of the middle third of left femur. He was wounded Aug 19, 1864on the Weldon Rail Road – admitted at Armory Square Hopt. Aug 28th 1864 – transferred to Detroit, Mich. April 20th, 1865 and discharged from service at that Hospital (Harper) Nov. 11th 1865.

I have had a photograph taken and will send you a copy with a brief history in a few days.

Very respectfully
Your Obedient Servant
Geo. K. Smith
Late AA Surg U.S.A.

To Surgeon Gen. U.S.A.
Washington D.C.

P.S. The address of Hiram B. Smith is Weston Wood Co., Ohio. GKS

Letter of the Day: February 17

This is one of a flurry of letters sent out on the 17^th and 18^th of February, 1868 on the same topic, but referring to different surgeries.  “Form” letters went out on the 18^th: a letter sent to a surgeon in Westchester, New York, followed with a notation that it was also sent to surgeons in Albany, Boston, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We’re thinking they were doing a push for the MSHWR and were trying to tie up loose ends, at least for the chapter on knees.

 

 

Surgeon General’s Office

Washington City, DC

February 17, 1868

 

Doctor:

                I have read with extreme interest your report of a case of excision of the knee-joint in the Southern Medical and Surgical Journal. It is of such great importance to determine the value of this procedure in military surgery that I venture to take the liberty of writing to you to enquire farther particulars of the case, especially whether the officer still survives, and if his limb is useful still. Were the condyles of the femur interfered with, and, if not, did any disease of the cartilage supervene?

                The Surgeon General has published some statistics of amputations and excisions of joints which I should be pleased to send you if have not seen them.

 

I am, Doctor,

Very respectfully yours, 

George A. Otis

Assistant Surgeon, U.S.A.

 

Dr. A.W. Bailey,

Barnwell Dist.

South Carolina.

Letter of the Day: February 16 2 of 2

U.S.A. General Hospital

David’s Island, N.Y.

Feb 16^th, 1863

 

 

Friend Brinton

 

I am working hard at histories of cases for you, and will be able by the latter part of this week to send you some specimens and detailed accounts. There being no particular  hold on the A.A. Surgeons here, it is with difficulty that I can get them to make reports. Unfortunately the man who had charge of the dead house stole our specimens and sold them to Dr. James. R. Wood of New York, to whom I have written in regard to them, but have received no answer.  Still I have a few interesting specimens and some interesting statistics of amputations and resections.

 

I suppose you have seen Dr. Simons in Washington. It is a perfect outrage that a man who has sacrificed so much should be so persecuted. I have been his intimate friend for the past six months, and can truly say that he is as perfectly loyal as you or I.

 

Don’t you want an assistant in preparing your museum and writing up statistics, etc? I should like very much to be on such duty and could probably take some labor off your should. Won’t you ask the Surgeon General if you think well of it, to detail me on that duty.

 

Truly yr. friend,

 

S.W. Gross

Surg. U.S.A.

 

Letter of the Day #1: February 7

E.D. Hudson cooperated with the Museum for many years, providing photographs of his patients including the Confederate soldier Columbus Rush whom he provided with two artificial legs.

Surgeon General’s Office
Washington, D.C.

February 7, 1866

Dear Sir,

I am instructed by the Surgeon General to acknowledge your communication of the 25th ultimo, and to thank you for the nine (9) interesting photographs which accompanied it.

The Surgeon General has authorized me to give you the names of officers and soldiers who have recovered after undergoing the operation of excision of the head of the humerus and I have directed a list of such to be prepared.

In any future official publication with which I may be entrusted, I will carefully consider the subject of artificial limbs and the relative value of different apparatus, and I shall endeavor to do entire justice to inventors. Your claims in regard to apparatus for patients mutilated by the operations of Syme & Pirogoff, and by knee-joint amputations will not be overlooked.

I am anxious to obtain photographs of double amputations of the thigh or leg and of other cases of unusual interest, and am willing to pay for such. I hereby authorize you have photographs taken of cases of especial interest. As near as may be they should be uniform in size with those taken at the Army Medical Museum, of some of which you have copies. The negatives should be sent, securely packed, by Harnden’s Express, directed to Major General J.K. Barnes, Surgeon General U.S. Army. (For Army Medical Museum.) The bills should be made out in triplicate on the enclosed forms.

I have directed a copy of Circular No: 6, of this office, containing reports on the materials available for a medical and surgical history of the rebellion to be sent to your address.

Very respectfully,
Your obedt. servant,
By order of the Surgeon General,

George A. Otis

Surgeon & Bvt. Lt. Colonel U.S. Vols.

Dr. E.D. Hudson,
Clinton Hall, Astor Place,
New York City

Letter of the day: February 1

These prints were needed for the second edition of the Medical & Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion.

Surgeon General’s Office
Washington City, DC
February 1, 1868

Baron von Egloffstein,
Superintendent Heliographic Engraving Company
135 West 25th Street
New York City

Baron,

The two impressions of the plate representing the surgeons railway car of the hospital train of the Department of the Cumberland were duly received and submitted to the Surgeon General. I have also to acknowledge your communication of the 30th ult., announcing the transmission of these proofs, and asking for my criticism thereon.

I regard the work as a very satisfactory copy of the drawing. Much of the engraving appears to me to be done by hand, but it is immaterial how it is done provided so good work can be furnished at the same price as lithographic work.

For an edition of 5020 prints of a similar plate, done by lithography, this office has heretofore paid one hundred dollars, the paper being furnished by this office.

I am instructed by the Surgeon General to request you to send a proof on the thin paper. I herewith transmit, and also a statement of the price at which you can furnish 5020 prints, the paper being furnished.
I am, Baron,
Very respectfully,
Your obt. Servant,
By order of the Surgeon General,
[George A. Otis]
Ass’t. Surgeon, U.S. Army

Letter of the Day: January 29 (1 of 5)

The photographs he refers to have not been catalogued and may no longer exist. Darn it.

 

County Clerk’s Office

John C. Johnston,

County Clerk

 

Newton, Kas. Jan 29, 1885

 

David Flynn

Army Medical Museum

Washington City DC

 

Dear Sir

 

If you remember I was in your Department last May (1884) and you had me photographed. I am the original of Cast No 1401 Shell wound in right side of my face, Battle of Spotsylvania CH [Court House] May 10 1864. You gave me several phots. But you said if I would write you would sand me some better ones when you had more leisure to get them up. If it is not asking too much I wish you would please send me ½ doz. of each side. I had both sides of my face taken etc.

 

Yours Truly

John C. Johnston

Newton PO

Harvey Co.

Kansas

 

[1 doz Photographs sent April 9, 1885]

Letter of the Day: January 28

Selected by Kathleen this time.

 

ND [immediately following letter of January 28 1864]

 

Specification of jars, for Army Medical Museum

 

Best pure glass, ground stoppers (extra with Emory) – stopper with glass knob, as in pattern. Each stopper to be provided with a hook inside. This hook to be attached as in figure 1, & not on the bottom of stopper as in sample, the object of the change to being to gain room for suspension of object. The mouths of the jars to be as wide as possible. In case it is not possible to make stoppers to the larger jars (24 in by 10 in; 18 in by 9 in; 16 in by 8 in) then these jars must be made as in figure 2, the top edge of the jar ground level so that a plate of glass or lead may be laid over it, & tied on with bladder.

 

The sizes and number of the jars required by the museum are as follows

 

12 jars 24 inches high by 10 inches wide

12 jars 18 inches high by 9 inches wide

48 jars 16 inches high by 8 inches wide

72 jars 12 inches high by 6 inches wide

72 jars 10 inches high by 4 inches wide

144 jars 7 inches high by 2 inches wide

---

360

 

Gentlemen, I desire to know the price per pound at which these jars can be delivered in Washington, and also the approximate number of pounds in all. As the funds at the command of the museum are somewhat limited the number of jars ordered must depend on this information. Is the government tax included in the prices as specified?

 

Yrs respectfully

 

JH Brinton

Surgeon, USA & Curator, A.M. Museum

 

Mssrs Muzzey & Munro

419 Commerce St.

Philadelphia, PA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter of the Day: January 27 UPDATED

 

Six months after the establishment of the Museum, Civil War hospital doctors were saving material for it.

 

U.S.A. General Hospital No. 1,

Frederick, MD., Jany 27 1863

 

Doctor.

 

I will endeavor to  pl[ea]s[e] also [illegible] to take Davis place & at any rate the specimens “shall be preserved”. Enclosed please find corrected bill.

 

Respectfully,

 

R.F. Weir

Asst Surgeon, USA

 

Dr. J.H. Brinton, USA

Surg. Gen’l Office

Washington, DC

 

Curiosity over this letter leads me to transcribe the earlier one:

 

U.S.A. General Hospital No. 1,

Frederick, MD., January 25 1863

 

Doctor.

 

Enclosed find your vouchers for expenditures for whiskey to preserve pathological specimens. Will you please have them settled as the money had been advanced by Dr. Davis who has recently left for England & me, heir to bones & [illegible – whiskey?] collections. When may we expect to see the new Catalogue[?]

 

Respectfully,

 

R.F. Weir

Asst Surgeon, USA

 

Dr. J.H. Brinton, USA

Surg. Gen’l Office

Washington, DC

 

Army Medical Museum mention in American History

I was pleased to find the Civil War history, the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion by the Army Medical Museum on display in an exhibit on images in books, "Picturing Words: The Power of Book Illustration" by Smithsonian Institution Libraries. The exhibit is at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.