Volume 1

The medical and surgical history of the war of the rebellion (1861-65) / prepared, in accordance with the acts of Congress, under the direction of Surgeon General Joseph K. Barnes, United States Army.

  • Joseph K. Barnes
Date:
1875-1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The medical and surgical history of the war of the rebellion (1861-65) / prepared, in accordance with the acts of Congress, under the direction of Surgeon General Joseph K. Barnes, United States Army. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    Models of novel surgical appliances, and photographic views of new plans of dressing. Plaster casts of stumps and amputations, and models of limbs upon which excisions may have been performed. It is not intended to impose on Medical Officers the labor of dissecting and preparing the specimens they may contribute to the Museum. This will be done under the superin- tendence of the Curator. In forwarding such pathological objects as compound fractures, bony specimens, and wet preparations generally, obtained after amputation, operation, or cadaveric examination, all unnecessary soft parts should first be roughly removed. Every specimen should then be wrapped separately in a cloth, so as to preserve all spiculce and fragments. A small block of wood should be attached, with the name of the patient, the number of the specimen, and the name of the medical officer sending it, inscribed in lead pencil. The inscription will be uninjured by the contact of fluids. The preparation should be then immersed in diluted alcohol or whiskey, contained in a keg or small cask. When a sufficient number of objects shall have accumulated, the cask should be forwarded directly to the Surgeon General’s. Office. The expenses of expressage will be defrayed in Washington. The receipt of the keg or package will be duly acknowledged by the Curator of the Museum. In every instance, a corresponding list or history of the cases should, at the same time, be forwarded to this office. In this list the number and nature of every specimen should be clearly specified, and, when possible, its history should be given. The numbers attached to the specimens themselves, and the numbers on the list forwarded should always correspond, and should be accompanied by the name and rank of the medical officer by whom sent. Every specimen will be duly credited in the Catalogue to the medical officer contributing it. J. K. BARNES, Acting Surgeon General. In order to perfect the returns under examination, as far as possible, the fol- lowing Circular was issued: [CIRCULAR LETTER.] Surgeon General’s Office, Washington, D. C., February 2, 1865. Medical Directors of Armies in the field or of detached commands are instructed to transmit to this Office copies of all reports in their possession from the Recorders of Division or other Field Hospitals, and in future, copies of such reports will be forwarded to the Sur- geon General within twenty days after every engagement. Medical Directors of Departments will forward to this Office copies of all reports of individual cases of gunshot injury antecedent to the adoption of the present system of regis- tration of wounds, (October 1, 1863,) which are on file in their offices. By order of the Surgeon General : C. H. CRANE, Surgeon U. S. Army.