Waterhouse, Benjamin, 1754-1846. Letter book of Benjamin Waterhouse, 1790-1834 (inclusive). H MS b16.1, Countway Library of Medicine.

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Letter book containing fragments of correspondence and essays written by Benjamin Waterhouse (1754-1846) between 1790 and the mid 1830s. The correspondence was mainly addressed to United States Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin concerning Waterhouse's position as superintendent of the United States Marine Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 1800s. There is also correspondence to the Massachusetts Medical Society, and to United States Secretary of State John Adams regarding the death penalty, and a transcribed essay on the court of judicature in Pennsylvania by Benjamin Franklin. Additionally, several contemporary news clippings on the Harvard professorship of Natural History are pasted in.

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Yesterday I recvd an answer to my letter of the 5th. inst. to the Secretary of war relative to the appointment of [Dr Jos.] Stevens, in which he says - "I have the honor to inform you that Dr Joseph L. Stevens, Hospital Surgeons mate is of Charleston S. Carolina & is on duty at that port. &c

Genl Dearborn

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Boston June 17th 1816

[Tornoch?] [Reynolds?] Clerk in the office of the [?] of MS.

Sir I this day saw your letter of the 12th [?] stating that there were no returns made by me since the 1st quarter of 1815, and that the ballance of that return stands charged against me. To which I reply that at the time (you) here mentioned Major General Dearborn who then commanded this District, ordered the General Hospital in Charlestown to be broken up, and every [artide?] of Hospital stores, furniture & medicine was carried to the Military store in Charlestown by his [du?? M??} and [c??] in charge of the [A??] General's {af??] This was done in consequence of the small pox appearing in the hospital which induced the authority of the town to compel us to clear the building of every article and shut the hospital up. In obeying that order of my commanding General, I concurred myself exonerated from the responsibility before imposed upon me. Therefore presume that it only remains for me

Last edit 3 months ago by clairerunkel
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to obtain from the apothecary; [afi??] a reciept further articles transmit it to your office. Mr. Cutty spoke to me yesterday on the subject until then I took for granted that General Dearborn had transmitted a regular report of the transaction. [Thaed??] the correct in my ideas, would thank you for directions how to act for I have (not) articles in my hands, excepting a [c??] of pocket instrumens, and 4 printed books. I am respcetfully yours B. Waterhouse

July 8th, 1810 Although my furlough is not yet [o??] as there [v??] my health I am now fit to [ref??] my duties as hospital surgeon, and am ready to obey the General's orders, [un??] the [afi??] [expe??] in the General orders leaving [o??] the should be sufficient without further commands from him.

B. Waterhouse [A?] C.K. [Go??] [Ad?? G??] Brownsville

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Boston July 12, 1816

To Michael Cuthbert Superintendent of Military Supplies Washington

Sir, I here transmit the receipt of D JAmes W. Sergent the apothecary 'Generals apartment for all the Hospital Stores & Medicines that were deposed in the Gen'l Hospital Charlestown [deleted text]prior to[deleted text] until the beginning of april 1815, when it was suddenly borken up without [deleted text] an hours warning by the order[deleted text] of Maj General Denton in consequenc of the Smallpox appearing it attended with peculiar circumstances, of alarm to the ^neighbourhood. The steps taken by the municipal authority were so prompt so threatening [deleted text] & the alarm so spent in the neighbourhood[deleted text], that I only wonder that more articles were not destroyed or missing. They were removed by the Deputy Dr Master, the medicines to the U.S store in Boston, & the hospital furniture & Stores to the U.S Arsenal Charlestown. As this was done by the preemptory order of Major General Denton without consenting me, or giving me a moments precious notice, I considered my responsibility as it regarded these articles at an end. The General ordered me to send the smallpox patient to Fort Warren. But the day following the Boston board of health & Select men took the sick Soldier from the fort & sent him to their own public hospital. I mention these things to show that the rapidity with which this hospital was broken up was to prevent popular commmotion [deleted text] all these things werem ade known to the apos The army General

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Boston July 23d 1816-

Sir, In [deleted text]addition[deleted text] to the receipted ^list of articles which I returned to you on the 12th r, st. I have now to add the following viz

1 Double case of capital instruments [deleted] 1 Pocket case of Instruments[deleted] [deleted] 1 Scalpel [deleted] 1 Silver catheter 1 bras tourniquet 4. field Do

[Deleted text] More than these & what I transmitted the 12 inst. I do not know of a single [Deleted text] these are the only article, belonging to the U.S now in my posession. There are yet a few articles, of Medicine in the port at Charlestown. which I presume Post Surgeon Eaton has returned to your office previously to his removal [deleted text] to Charlestown [deleted text] Portland.

[??] Richd Cutts Esqr

Last edit 12 days ago by logiebear
Displaying pages 36 - 40 of 98 in total