BEFORE AND AFTER LISTER 



(Two lectures before the U. S. Army Medical 

 School, Washington, D. C, April 27 and 28, 

 I9IS) 



BY 



W. W. KEEN 



Emeritus Professor of Surgery 

 Jefferson Medical College, 



Philadelphia 

 LECTURE i. "BEFORE LISTER" 



ON July i, 1 86 1, I entered the service of the State of 

 Massachusetts as assistant surgeon of the Fifth Massa- 

 chusetts, and on July 4 was sworn into the service of the 

 United States in the shadow of yonder capitol. On 

 August I I was honorably discharged and resumed my 

 medical studies at the Jefferson Medical College. Strange 

 as it now seems, when assistant surgeon I was not yet a 

 graduate in medicine. As an evidence of the loose way 

 in which medical and military matters were then con- 

 ducted, I was actually appointed without any examination 

 whatever. 



After graduating in March, 1862, I again entered the 

 service in May, after an examination, and was ordered to 

 the Eckington Hospital in the then outskirts of Washing- 

 ton. Shortly afterwards I was ordered to fit up two 

 churches as hospitals and to have them ready in five days. 

 It was 5 P.M. on a Saturday afternoon. 



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