Letter of the Day: March 28 (1 of 2)

Mt. Vernon Bks, Ala
Mch 28, 1875

Curator Army Medical Museum
Washington D.C.

Sir,

Would a collection of the snakes of this region be of any value to the Museum? Or of the Flora? If so, please answer & oblige.

Your obt. Servt,

Jos. K. Corson
Asst. Surg. U.S.A.

Virtual Autopsy Table, Exhibit at House of Sweden

27 Mar - 2 May 2010
EXHIBIT: Virtual Autopsy Table
A unique interactive table allows people to explore the inside of a human being. This big touch screen allows the user to freely interact with data generated by CT and MRI scans.
Without cutting into the body, medical experts can see things otherwise difficult to discover in a conventional autopsy. The technique opens up new opportunities in countries where autopsies are not accepted due to cultural or religious reasons.

House of Sweden,
2900 K St NW
Washington DC

Letter of the Day: March 27, on Indian wars

Headquarters, District of Texas
Office of Surgeon in Chief,
Austin, Texas, March 27th 1868

Dear Doctor:

I have received this morning the first “Return of Wounds and Injuries received in action,” that has presented itself, since I entered upon my duties in this District. It is from McElderry at Fort Griffin, who accompanied a scouting party in an attack upon some Comanches, near old Fort Phantom Hill. The matter is one of interest to you, I trust, inasmuch as a considerable number of Indian bows, arrows and shields were captured. The Comanches, fourteen in number, upon being surprised, “bifurcated,” – one party makings its escape, and all the other party, seven in number, falling victim. As the soldiers did not trouble themselves to take the Indians to camp on litter, but left them dead on the spot, I am in hopes that McElderry may be able to obtain their crania. I have written to him about the desirability of augmenting the Army Med. Museum with such trophies. Three soldiers were wounded.

Another Indian fight has also just occurred in the vicinity of Fort Mason [illegible] and eight Texas Rangers, organized under the command of the Commanding Officer at Fort Mason, attacked twenty two (?) Indians, killed two of the number, and captured twelve horses. I do not believe that any medical officer of the Army was present.

These skirmishes are probably preludes to continued and extensive activity and blood-drawing, in the vicinity of the new frontier Cavalry post, and justify my recommendation that at least two medical officers should be on duty at each large military station in the new line of defence, extending from the Red River to the Rio Grande. Every large scouting party, dispatched from a fort on such an expedition as McEdlerry took part in, should be provided with a surgeon. Gen. McParlin assented to my views some time since, very readily, and orders were issued supplying Richardson, Griffin, (Burhham when established,) Concho, McKavitt etc with two medical officers. I may think it necessary to give even a third “saw-bones” to one or two of the more important commands.

I beg that you will bring this matter favorably to the attention of the Surgeon General and General Crane, as they may be surprised to see two or three medical officers reported to be on duty at a single post. Some of the posts are to be garrisoned by eight companies.

I am on the alert, also, with reference to the matter of scurvy in the frontier posts referred to. Although the troops have not reached there yet, I have already put most of the post surgeons on their guard, and have urged them to persuade company commanders to cultivate gardens, and provide their men with as much fresh vegetable food as possible. The commissary at New Orleans has promised to provide the new posts with larger amounts of canned vegetables, so that their sale may be extended to the enlisted men, and not limited to officers, after their present custom.

Your letter concerning the acquisition of curiosities for the Museum from frontier officers has received my careful attention. It is probable that in course of the summer I shall have opportunity of personally urging the medical officer and others in my District, to second your efforts ably. From what Gen. Reynolds has told me I think that I may be one of a party of his staff to visit all of the frontier posts. He sees the importance of the duty, in my case, especially if I am to occupy my present position for a term of years! – for by personal inspection of the posts, the country, and the men I should have a much better basis for official work than I now have. Present my kindest regards to all, & let me hear from you.

Yours truly,

Warren Webster

Col. George A. Otis, etc etc.

Letter of the day, March 26

GRC/mj

War Department
Office of the Surgeon General
Washington

March 26, 1919

Circular Letter No. 156

Subject: Museum Specimens (Gas Lesions).

1. It is desired to obtain gross and microscopical specimens from cases who have lived for a considerable time after being gassed. There are now in hospitals many of these soldiers suffering in some cases from the results of this gassing, and also from various other condition.

2. Considerable material has been collected from acute lesions in man and in animals, and a certain amount of material is available showing the subsequent lesions in animals, but no specimens have been received from human sources which can be used to study the final changes and determine what, if any, permanent alterations result from exposure to the gas.

3. Should autopsies occur in any case giving a history of having been gassed, specimens will be carefully preserved and sent to the Army Medical Museum, even though there is apparently no change in the organs referable to the previous gassing. The respiratory tract is most important but blocks of tissue should be sent from each organ. A careful history and protocol will accompany the specimens.

By direction of the Surgeon General:

C.R. Darnall,
Colonel, Medical Corps, USA,
Executive Officer.

Copy for:
Surgeons, Ports of Embarkation,
Commanding Officers, all Base & General Hospitals,
Commandant, Army Medical School,
The Chief Surgeon, S.O.S. American expeditionary Forces.

E-140

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 25

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 564

March 25 1895

Dr. Samuel T. Armstrong,
Harlem Hospital,
New York.

Dear Doctor:

I am instructed by the Surgeon General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of March 23rd, enclosing history of the case of James Devlin, Switchman, which furnished the specimen of right hand showing laceration, received at the Museum March 13, 1895, and to thank you for this addition to the Museum records.

Very respectfully,

Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator

Letter of the Day: March 24

Fort Barrancas, Fla.
March 24th 75

Dear Doctor

Will you do me the favor to discuss the probable history of the enclosed, with some of your scientific friends & return it to me when you have done so with your opinion as to its archaeological value?

It was picked up on the surface of a shell-heap “kjokkinmodding” at Bear Point, on the Alabama side of the Perdido bay. I am inclined to think that this locality was occupied by the Natchez indians at the time of De Soto’s expedition.

The point of interest to be ascertained in regard to the specimen I send you are - What is the white metal around the copper?

Is it the work of white men or of the Indians, in whose possession it doubtless was when lost in the vicinity of one of their villages? Has the copper or the metal surrounding it been smelted, or was it worked to its present form by maneuvering and polishing? What was the probable use to which the article was put? Money? Ornament? Or charm?

Very truly yours,

Sternberg

Photo of the day, March 24

USS Solace. Commissioned on 08/09/1941; the Solace joined the Fleet on 10/27 and was the first hospital ship to be present in a naval battle when she cared for casualties from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

She won eight engagement stars for participation in this and seven other military operations:
Gilbert Islands, 11/24-26/1943;
occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 02/03-04/1944; capture and occupation of Saipan, 06/18/1944-07/02/1944;
capture of Guam 07/24 to 08/15/1944;
occupation of Southern Palau Islands, 09/06 to 10/14/1944;
capture of Iwo Jima 02/23 to 03/10/1945;
and the Okinawa Gunto operation, 03/24 to 06/20/1945.

The Solace was the first hospital ship to be refueled at sea while carrying a full load of patients, near the Gilbert Islands in 11/1943, and the first to receive patients directly from the combat area (in the same campaign).

As an illustration of her activity, during 1943 she traveled 37069 miles, took part in 10 evacuations, 6 of them to transport patients from the New Hebrides area to Aukland and Wellington, New Zealand. Total admissions to the sick list that year amounted to 6465, and she spent 5 months as a station hospital.

During the Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations 1800 units of fresh whole-blood, 1200 units of plasma, 136000 sulfa tablets, and 2.5 billion units of penicillin were administered. She admitted and treated about 25000 patients altogether, 70 percent battle casualties, and steamed over 170000 miles before VJ Day. Thereafter she engaged in transporting Pacific war veterans home and was decommissioned 03/27/1946.

The SOLACE had an overall length of 410 feet, displaced 8650 tons, had a top speed of 18 knots and a cruising range of 7000 miles.

Hospital ships. Solace (AH-5) Folder 3 12/10/1916; U.S. Navy BUMED Library and Archives

Letter of the day, March 23

This letter, in and of itself, is only moderately interesting; however, because we picked up a donation of about 400 or so microscopes last week, arguably making ours the largest microscope collection in the world, it is somewhat more interesting. That, and the fact that it bears Walter Reed's signature. Hopefully someone from Historical Collections will report more details here.

Microscopes:
March 23, [189]5

To the
Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
Washington, D.C.

General:

In reply to your letter of March 22, 1895, I beg to report that the following microscopes, all in good condition as to serviceability, are on hand at the Museum, viz.:

Large microscope, continental stand, mechanical stage, Zeiss (One of these belongs to the microphotographic outfit.) No. 4
Large microscope with fixed stage (Stand 1B, Leitz,) [No.] 1
Medium sized microscope, Stand II, Leitz, [No.] 1
Microscope B B, Continental stand, Bausch & Lomb, [No.] 6

The foregoing instruments are furnished with suitable oculars and objectives for pathological and bacteriological work, and were taken up upon my property return for the year ending December 31, 1894.

Very respectfully,
[signed] Walter Reed,
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator.

Photo of the day, March 23

From our Hollister Collection, OHA 193. 100 percent perfect condition of teeth. First grade. 03/23/1925.

Universal Health Care

Today's expected presidential signature on the health care bill is a huge change for America, but this issue is by no means a new one. In our Registry of Noteworthy Research in Pathology collection is an article by John R. Mannix, Director of Chicago Plan for Hospital Care, titled "Why Not an American Blue Cross? How Hospitals and Physicians, Cooperating, Might Provide Prepayment Health Services for All." It was written in 1944 in the journal Hospitals.

Mannix proposed that physicians and hospitals create an American Blue Cross and obtain a federal charter to operate in the federal interest. He says that in response to three things - the Depression's bringing to light the need for provisions against future need, strong Congressional lobbying for legislative protection by special interest groups, and taxes chipping away at individual fortunes that previously had been used for philanthropic purposes - the public was demanding guaranteed health services: "It has been confirmed and emphasized by every competent survey to date, including the Fortune poll, which showed that three-quarters (74.3 per cent) of all Americans believe the federal government should collect enough taxes after the war to provide for medical care for everyone who needs it." He goes on to say, "The public wants protection. One way or another it will get what it wants. It will accept, indeed welcome, a voluntary system, but meanwhile it is insisting upon the presentation of federal protection because it does not believe that voluntary agencies are going to do the complete job."

Sixty-six years later, it looks like his prediction will come about. It just took a little longer than he might have expected.

Hall of Human Origins NMNH SI

went on opening day