ANTIQUE CIVIL WAR MEDICAL BOOK: A MANUAL OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENLISTING AND DISCHARGING SOLDIERS 1864 MARKED U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT
[lightslider_looper]

A Manual Of Instructions For Enlisting And Discharging Soldiers: With Special Reference To The Medical Examination Of Recruits And The Detection Of Disqualifying And Feigned Diseases, Roberts Bartholow, M.D., U. S. Army Medical Department issue, 1864

A copy of this text book is listed in the 1865 Surgeon General’s Office Library Catalogue or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department, or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department.

A Manual of Instructions for Enlisting and Discharging Soldiers On the copyright page, the date is 1863, while on the title page it is 1864. A gold “U. S. Army Medical Department” seal is embossed on the dark green front board (see attached). The book is very tight and does not look like it has been read. There is some slight nicking on the top and bottom of the spine (see the scan) and there is a small black rubber stamp neatly imprinted inside the front board near the top which reads: “Edw. Douglas Rudderow, M.D.” I assume that Dr. Rudderow was a previous owner.

A Manual Of Instructions For Enlisting And Discharging Soldiers: With Special Reference To The Medical Examination Of Recruits And The Detection Of Disqualifying And Feigned Diseases, Roberts Bartholow, M.D., U. S. Army Medical Department issue, 1864

A copy of this text book is listed in the 1865 Surgeon General’s Office Library Catalogue or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department, or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the Civil War by the Army Medical Department.

Additional information on Roberts Bartholow, M. D.:

  • Name: Roberts Bartholow
  • Death date: May 10, 1904
  • Place of death: Philadelphia, PA
  • Type of practice: Allopath
  • States and years of licenses: PA, 1881, WV, 1883
  • Medical school(s): University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore: University of Maryland School of Medicine and Coll of Phys and Surgeons, 1852, (G)
  • Journal of the American Medical Association Citation: 42:1303, 1368

Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1864., 1864. 276 pp. Second Printing (the first printing was in 1863). “U.S. Army Medical Department” stamped in gilt, above logo, on the front cover. “Bartholow was medical purveyor (purchasing agent) with the Army of the Potomac. This work describes the examination to determine if a soldier was fit for service. The first part is entitled ‘Real Disqualifications for Military Service’ and describes diseases arranged by organ systems. The second part is entitled ‘Pretended Disqualifications for Military Service’ and describes how a soldier or a draftee might feign symptoms of various diseases. The third section is dedicated to examining men who are joining the army and the last part to soldiers leaving the army. A major theme of the final part concerns the Invalid Corps, an organization of soldiers who were too disabled to perform full duties, but who could act as guards or garrison troops. The doctor needs to make two determinations: (1) Can the soldier perform full duty? and (2) If not, can he serve in the Invalid Corps or must he receive a medical discharge? A person with epilepsy, for example, cannot perform field service; if he experiences only one seizure per month he can join the Invalid Corps, but more frequent seizures dictate medical discharge. Paralysis of one arm is allowable for Invalid Corps soldiers; more widespread paralysis is not”