~An Amalgam of Medical and Maritime History~

A medical student, an aspiring maritime historian, a man who always seems to find his passions in the most unorthodox of ways. I am all these things. Perhaps a bit of an overstatement, particularly the last part, however, my quest to find that which drives me has always led me down circuitous paths. Medicine and maritime history might seem a strange amalgam to some, however, the two are linked in the most extraordinary ways. Both have rich and multifaceted histories that are prime for exploration, discovery, and learning. I seek to learn about both; separately and together.

As a student of medicine, I am at once enthralled and inundated by the wealth of knowledge to be gained from such a course of study. Despite my passion for the subject, I have found that though we are more than sufficiently prepared for our roles as healers, we often times are left with little in the way of an historical perspective. How did we come to use the techniques and medications now endorsed by physicians, and what did it take to get to this point? These are questions that I seek to answer.

Though I have always been a history enthusiast, it was not until recently that I discovered my love of ships and the sea. I quickly gained a penchant for all things maritime. an historical subject that encompasses a broad range of topics from naval battles to the science of navigation. Recently, I came to find that surgeons at sea played an integral part in the orchestra of persons aboard a sailing vessel. They were to maintain the health of the sailors at all costs, despite the rudimentary tools and the unforgiving elements of wind and sea. This effectively bridges the topics, and provides a jumping point for my future knowledge and research.

Any feedback is welcome as I share what I have gained with you.
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A New and Exciting Collaboration

It seems, and intuitively so, that the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) and the Naval History and Heritage Command have joined forces to create a blog, aptly titled The Naval History Blog, that should be at the top of all naval historians’ and buffs’ lists of “go-to” online resources for U.S. Naval history.  Though in its infant stage, the blog seems to have a great deal of potential, and just happens to be manned by two of the premier organizations in the field.  Go to http://www.navalhistory.org/ to check it out.  I have pasted the “About the Blog” section below as it effectively summarizes the direction this blog is headed, and what we can expect as it gains its “sea legs.”

First and foremost, this blog is an excursion into the most intriguing questions, theories and musings that continue to fascinate naval historians.  It is a meeting place where renowned scholars and self-taught history buffs linger and share ideas and perspective on naval events that shape nations.
The Naval History Blog is hosted by two organizations steeped in the traditions of naval history, which see it as a cornerstone of their missions.  The U.S. Naval Institute and the Naval History & Heritage Command are working together to bring their considerable intellectual resources and passion for naval history to this destination.
The forum is a place to honor our naval heritage, explore its unresolved debates, uncover new information, and respectfully stimulate an honest, thoughtful discussion.

Perhaps a section on the Age of Sail is in order?  One can hope, can’t he?  Regardless, the site looks to be a great resource and center for debate and intellectual discussion.  I encourage you to check out the site, as well as the posting, “On the Study of Naval History.”  Though long, it is a very interesting and quality analysis of naval tactics by Rear Admiral Steven B. Luce, founder and first president of the Naval War College in the mid-1880’s.  It is a great historical piece from the magazine, Proceedings, in the year 1887.
In other news, I am presently working on the third and final section of my Evolution of War Wounds discussions, which should be available in a day or two.



Happy Birthday to USNI

An interesting post from the Naval History blog at the link above (click the title), detailing the founding and mission of the US Naval Institute to honor the Navy. Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske said of the Institute in 1919:

“Without some such stimulus as the Institute, the navy would be less a profession and more like a trade; we would less like artists, and more like artisans; we would become too practical and narrow; we would have no broad vision of the navy as a whole.

Each one of us would regard his own special task as the only thing that concerned him, and would lose that sympathetic touch with his brother officers which all of us now enjoy.”

Above all, the Institute sees itself as a forum for ideas and a way for Navy men to incorporate and further the technological milestones which have been provided to them by the theorists of the Institute. It has spent many years overcoming the stigma of being a purely “intellectual” institution in the face of a score of officers who saw themselves as supremely practical.

“In the early days of the Naval Institute, it was ridiculed by a large class of naval officers who called themselves ‘practical.’ They were practical, but that was all. To them, the whole of the naval profession was comprehended in the practice of the various drills and exercises in gunner, seamanship, navigation, etc., which they saw in any ship. Their highest ideal of an officer was a man who performed those duties well.”

But this was, of course, shortsighted. Without those who could “think,” there would not be the means to conceive and enact the novel ideas which propelled our navy from a group of six frigates to the largest on the globe. I am happy to see that USNI is going strong. As one who finds great educational value in their historical pieces, I hope that such a trend will continue with all due enthusiasm and support.

Wasp vs. Frolic in the War of 1812 via www.navalhistory.org

Wasp vs. Frolic in the War of 1812 via www.navalhistory.org

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USS Triton Circumnavigates the Globe | Naval History Blog

May 10, 1960

(Link in title) The USS Triton completes a submerged circumnavigation of the globe in only 84 days.  The mission was called Operation Sandblast and was a first in history.  The sub followed routes taken by Magellan, making the voyage even more historically relevant.  At the time, the Triton was the largest and most expensive submarine the world had ever known.

Delaware Makes First Quasi-War Capture, 7 July 1798 | Naval History Blog

The title says it all. If you are at all interested in this war, time period, or what have you, then I highly suggest picking up Ian Toll’s book, Six Frigates.  He gives an excellent, rousing account of the Quasi-War and the War of 1812.  Click the title to go to the original post from the Naval History Blog.