Alfred Alexander Woodhull
Encyclopedia
Alfred Alexander Woodhull (April 13, 1837-October 18, 1921) was an American
army surgeon. In 1885, he received the gold medal of the Military Service Institution and in 1907 the Seaman essay prize. Woodhull was the first to call to the attention of the service the necessity of co-operation between the medical and line officers in the promotion of military hygiene.
, on April 13, 1837, to Dr. Alfred Alexander and Anna Maria (Salomons) Woodhull. One of his ancestors was John Witherspoon
, a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence
. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1856 from the College of New Jersey. In 1859, he received his Master's degree from the College of New Jersey and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania
. He practised medicine in Leavenworth, Kansas
, and then at Eudora, Kansas
.
on September 19, 1861, and served for the duration of the war. He was medical inspector for the Army of the James
from 1864 to 1865, and was breveted
lieutenant-colonel in March 1865.
After the war ended, he was assigned to the Army Medical Museum
in Washington, D.C.
, where he prepared the "Surgical Section" of the Catalogue of the United States Army Medical Museum in 1866. In 1868, he published A Medical Report upon the Uniform and Clothing of the Soldiers of the United States Army. On December 15, 1868, he married Margaret Ellicott from Baltimore, Maryland.
He was a member of the Surgeon-General's office. In 1875 and 1876, he wrote papers advocating the use of sub-emetic doses of ipecacuanha in the treatment of dysentery
. His duties included instruction in military hygiene at the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth
, Kansas, from 1886 to 1890 and command of the Army and Navy Hospital at Hot Springs, Arkansas
, from 1892 to 1895. In 1881, he wrote Quarter Century Report of the Class of 1856 of the College of New Jersey. He was awarded the gold medal of the Military Service Institution for his paper on "The Enlisted Soldier", which was published in its Journal for March 1887.
In 1891, he travelled to England to study the British Army's medical care and published a report in 1894. In 1895, he was appointed medical inspector of the Department of the Colorado. In 1899, he became chief surgeon of the Department of the Pacific at Manila. He wrote Provisional Manual for Exercise of Company Bearers and Hospital Corp in 1889, and Notes on Military Hygiene for Officers of the Line. He was retired in 1901 and, in 1904, he was promoted to brigadier-general on the retired list.
. He died in Princeton on October 18, 1921.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
army surgeon. In 1885, he received the gold medal of the Military Service Institution and in 1907 the Seaman essay prize. Woodhull was the first to call to the attention of the service the necessity of co-operation between the medical and line officers in the promotion of military hygiene.
Early life
Woodhull was born at Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, on April 13, 1837, to Dr. Alfred Alexander and Anna Maria (Salomons) Woodhull. One of his ancestors was John Witherspoon
John Witherspoon
John Witherspoon was a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Jersey. As president of the College of New Jersey , he trained many leaders of the early nation and was the only active clergyman and the only college president to sign the Declaration...
, a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1856 from the College of New Jersey. In 1859, he received his Master's degree from the College of New Jersey and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. He practised medicine in Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth is the largest city and county seat of Leavenworth County, in the U.S. state of Kansas and within the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Located in the northeast portion of the state, it is on the west bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, and then at Eudora, Kansas
Eudora, Kansas
Eudora is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located along the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,136.- History :...
.
Military career
When the Civil War began, he helped recruit a troop of militia and was commissioned as a lieutenant. He was appointed to the Medical CorpsMedical Corps (United States Army)
The Medical Corps of the U.S. Army is a staff corps of the U.S. Army Medical Department consisting of commissioned medical officers – physicians with either an MD or a DO degree, at least one year of post-graduate clinical training, and a state medical license.The MC traces its earliest origins...
on September 19, 1861, and served for the duration of the war. He was medical inspector for the Army of the James
Army of the James
The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...
from 1864 to 1865, and was breveted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
lieutenant-colonel in March 1865.
After the war ended, he was assigned to the Army Medical Museum
National Museum of Health and Medicine
The National Museum of Health and Medicine is a museum in Silver Spring, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., USA. An element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the NMHM is a member of the National Health Sciences Consortium....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he prepared the "Surgical Section" of the Catalogue of the United States Army Medical Museum in 1866. In 1868, he published A Medical Report upon the Uniform and Clothing of the Soldiers of the United States Army. On December 15, 1868, he married Margaret Ellicott from Baltimore, Maryland.
He was a member of the Surgeon-General's office. In 1875 and 1876, he wrote papers advocating the use of sub-emetic doses of ipecacuanha in the treatment of dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
. His duties included instruction in military hygiene at the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas, from 1886 to 1890 and command of the Army and Navy Hospital at Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
, from 1892 to 1895. In 1881, he wrote Quarter Century Report of the Class of 1856 of the College of New Jersey. He was awarded the gold medal of the Military Service Institution for his paper on "The Enlisted Soldier", which was published in its Journal for March 1887.
In 1891, he travelled to England to study the British Army's medical care and published a report in 1894. In 1895, he was appointed medical inspector of the Department of the Colorado. In 1899, he became chief surgeon of the Department of the Pacific at Manila. He wrote Provisional Manual for Exercise of Company Bearers and Hospital Corp in 1889, and Notes on Military Hygiene for Officers of the Line. He was retired in 1901 and, in 1904, he was promoted to brigadier-general on the retired list.
After retirement from the U. S. Army
After his retirement, he returned to Princeton, where he was a lecturer on personal hygiene and general sanitation from 1902 to 1907. He also wrote Personal Hygiene: Designed for Undergraduates in 1906. In 1907, he received the Seaman prize for an article about hygiene and sanitation instruction in military and naval service schools, that was published in the Military Service Institution's Journal in the March–April 1908 issue. In 1913, he wrote a tactical study of the Battle of PrincetonBattle of Princeton
The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....
. He died in Princeton on October 18, 1921.