Post Hospital,
Morris Island S.C.
Sept. 24, 1863
Dear Doctor:
I arrived here safely a week after I left W-. Have a nice time of it here, between bomb shells + sea shells – the latter having the greater attraction.
I have the honor performing the duties of Medical Inspector of the Camp on the Island + have nothing more to do, except prescribe for the sick in Genl. Gilmore’s Band; so you see I have very little hard labor to perform. I am present, however, to assist Dr. Gross in his amputations.
Now about specimens – what am I to do for you? I can furnish any number of recent ones, both flesh and bone wounds, but will they be of any value to you? This is a God-forsaken place to get anything to put up preparations, and unless they are attended to at once, they become so offensive that we have to dispose of them. The wounds are all produced by Shell that we have to care for now + are therefore terrible. We had six cases last night from Ft. Gregg wounded by Moultrie guns. Three of them died. We average almost five cases of shell wounds daily from our men at work on the Forts + entrenchments.
We can give you no pathological specimens, for we ship all the cases that are likely to recover either to Beaufort or to Hilton Head Hospitals. I have a very fine specimen of a shell wound of the Cranium, which I have ready for you with the full history thereof.
Please let me know your desires and I shall do all for you I can. I have plenty of time and will be glad to do anything to further the object you have undertaken to accomplish. I am suffering from the cold this morning – it is quite chilly.
My pious regards to Dr. Dunston – say to him I have the Crab – a Side Wheeled” one – Tom Turtle I have not caught yet.
I will be glad to hear from you soon.
Truly yours [illegible]
H.K. Neff
To
Surgeon J. H. Brinton
Washington
Direct to Post Hospital Morris Island S.C.
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