Dr. William Paul Crillon Barton, Surgeon USN & Gosport Naval Hospital

By John G. M. Sharp

At USGenWeb Archives
Copyright All right reserved

Dr. William Paul Crillon Barton

Introduction: Dr. William Paul Crillon Barton (November 17, 1786 to March 27, 1856) was a medical botanist, physician, professor, naval surgeon, and botanical illustrator. The following documents were written or approved by Dr. William Paul Crillon Barton Surgeon USN. William Barton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 17 November 1786. He studied classics at Princeton University and received his BA in 1805. He later took a degree in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School under his uncle William Smith Barton a noted botanist and the author of the first American text book on Botany. The young Dr. Barton retained a keen interest in botanical and herbal science throughout his life. Following medical school Dr. Barton was commissioned a naval surgeon on 28 June 1809. Barton fought to tighten the controls of shipboard medical supplies. He called for the introduction of lemons and limes aboard Navy ships long before the U.S. Navy accepted the importance of an antiscorbutic treatment for vitamin C deficiency or scurvy. Barton went as far as to send a bottle of lime juice to the Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton with the instructions to drink it in the form of lemonade.

In February 1811, Congress passed an act establishing naval hospitals. Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton later asked Barton to compose a set of regulations for governing these hospitals. Barton was well aware of the shortcomings in Navy medical care. Shipboard facilities were primitive and there were no permanent hospitals ashore, only temporary facilities in Navy yards.

Barton began by drafting rules for governing naval hospitals. In 1812 the Navy Department submitted them to Congress. "Each hospital accommodating at least one hundred men should maintain a staff including a surgeon, who must be a college or university graduate; two surgeon's mates; a steward; a matron; a ward master; four permanent nurses; and a variety of servants." Not satisfied with the hastily drafted suggestions, Barton expanded his theories in a treatise published in 1814.

Dr. Barton was described as the first to promote the idea of employing female nurses in the U.S. Navy. He described the "matron's characteristics: she should be "discreet ... reputable ... capable ... neat, cleanly, and tidy in her dress, and urbane and tender in her deportment." She would supervise the nurses and other attendants as well as those working in the laundry, larder, and kitchen, but her main function was to ensure that patients were clean, well-fed, and comfortable. Here, what Dr. Barton was really advocating, was the employment of white women, for black women as he well knew were already working in naval hospitals as nurses, washers and cooks.

Barton’s Vegetable materia medica of the United States, or, Medical botany (1817–18), was published early in his career. This work established Dr. Barton’s standing as an experienced professional, able to distinguish between myth and fact about many American native plants.

In 1818 Dr. Barton was tried by court martial for attempting the removal of a fellow naval physician Dr. Thomas Harris. This case was settled on February 11, 1818, when Barton was found guilty. The case stemmed from Dr. Barton allegedly accusing Dr. Harris, then Director of the Philadelphia U.S. Naval Hospital, of allowing overcrowded and unsanitary conditions to prevail in that institution and of soliciting Harris removal. Barton though was acquitted of a "willful and deliberate falsehood." The case was also a precedent as President James Monroe was called to give testimony. While Dr. Barton was admonished his career did not suffer.

In 1823 Dr. Barton wrote and illustrated his important Flora of North America. Barton's Flora is an important early American color plate book. Like many other illustrated works of science and natural history of this period, the rich illustrations of Barton’s Flora made the publication expensive to produce. To offset the cost, it was sold by subscription. Subscribers would have bought the book ready-made. Instead, they would have received installments of one or two sections at a time, and would have had their copies bound as the volumes were completed.

Barton’s descriptions of plants include the current Latin name of each species, the names used by the botanists Carolus Linnaeus and Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, and common English names. His discussion also includes growing habits, ranges and habitat, and the history and usages of each plant.

Botanical Illustration from Barton's
Vegetable Material Medica

By 1824, Barton served on the first board to examine candidates for the Navy's medical service. The intent of the board was to examine Surgeon's Mates, "preparatory to their promotion to the rank of Surgeons." The board was also authorized to examine applicants for Commissions as Surgeons' Mates and report upon their fitness. In 1830 he became the commanding officer at Naval Hospital Norfolk, VA. As can be seen in his letters his outspoken manner had the capacity to anger many of his colleagues. Dr. Barton’s interest in the efficient administration of naval hospitals and rooting out waste on occasion provoked both his colleagues and his superiors. His methods were to analyze financial records and examine for overbilling and over staffing resemble those of Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856 -1915) mechanical engineer and efficiency expert. From very early in his career Barton took his ideas to the top. On 22 November 1830 writing to the Secretary of the Navy John Branch on 15 November 1830 regarding the expenses of the Gosport Barton stated, he felt it a duty to request Commodore Barron to discharge the ward attendant, the washer women, the messenger boy and servant…” On 22 November 1830 writing to the Secretary of the Navy about the expenses of the Gosport/ Norfolk Naval Hospital, Dr. Barton informs him that washing the clothes of enlisted sailors is too expensive and proposes deducting the expense directly out of their wages. As one historian of naval medicine has stated, he does not see that they should derive and benefit “thus he parades the terror of the deficit”.

Dr. Barton began by stating that he “was struck by the idea that some system of fraud or peculation had crept by the Surgeon or the Commanding Officer, into the provision crib”. He went onto say that ‘the correction of abuses exposed me then at Norfolk the same degree of odium as exposing the abuses of the Navy Medical Department as done since.” Barton concern for cost cutting and the deficit at Gosport was long remembered and made him few friends though as one critic wrote it showed a “most economic spirit at the expense of the sick and his subordinates.”

Dr. William Barton left Gosport in late 1830; he was later selected to head the Navy Medical Department. He died in Philadelphia on 27 March 1856.

Transcription: This transcription was made from digital images of letters and documents received by the Secretary of the Navy, Officers Letters to the Secretary of the Navy 1802 - 1884 National Archives and Records, RG45 Volume 141 -142 1 Oct 1830 – 31 Dec 1830, roll 64. In transcribing all passages from the letters and memorandum, I have striven to adhere as closely as possible to the original in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and abbreviation, superscripts, etc., including the retention of dashes and underlining found in the original. Words and passages that were crossed out in the letters are transcribed either as overstrikes or in notes. Words which are unreadable or illegible are so noted in square brackets. When a spelling is so unusual as to be misleading or confusing, the correct spelling immediately follows in square brackets and italicized type or is discussed in a foot note. The names of all naval ships are italicized.

John G. Sharp 15 June 2019

* * * * * * * * * *

Brandywine Hampton Roads July 7, 1830

Sir,
I have the honor to transmit at the end of our cruise in conformity with the naval regulations a List of the Sick on board the Brandywine, since her outfit in New York to the present time – their rank, age, disease, and transfer to Hospital or death –

I have found it my duty, voluntarily to give sick tickets to two gentlemen of the ward room Lieutenant Pinkney & McGlaughlin for reasons expressed in their certificates. Mr. McGlaughlin’s collar bone was punctured by a fall from his cot, it has perfectly united somewhat since, and it only remains for his own willing effort and use of his arm as over ----- He ought in my opinion to be relocated from the ship at once -

I have been applied to in writing for a ticket by acting Midshipman Johnson, but having seen nothing whatever during this time of him; chiefly at his own desire, on the sick list for invalids & not the slightest list cause induces me to accede to it –

We had not a single case of what has been usually been named yellow fever, but have lost two men with the fever induced by the climate viz one in the south side of Cuba and one on --- of March other at Pensacola on the 19th of June The disease having terminated in the first instance on 3rd day and in the second on the 9th I consider the death of the remaining six to the disease having been contacted owing primarily to the severe weather at New York –

This leads me to observe that as I anticipated there has been much suffering among the men owing to their previous exposure at New York to the intense cold & the diseases it produced and as sequence especially unusual of these I have had five cases of Consumption or suppression of the blood vessels in the lungs one of these Lieutenant ------ terminated fatally by galloping consumption and a second the leader of the Band not likely to end differently –

It is my duty to state that in the main the ship has been a sickly one till within a few weeks for the sick list has become essentially reduced after our arrival in the salubrious climate of Pensacola But the illness alluded to has been chiefly confined to the crew – I venture the opinion that the general health of the ward room and steerage although has somewhat improved - and has been much promoted and improved by prophylactic medicine & attention having acted myself under the belief that a surgeon may do much by anticipating disease and giving timely advice adverting it – I hope in reference to the report I had the honor to make to you by your instructions last year that it may be satisfactory to hear that a more robust and vigorous standard could scarce be found among as generally pertaining to the steerage with the exception of the midshipmen who are liable to convulse disease and get them these gentlemen well deserving the remark one and all of the most intemperate having drank water only in their necessity during the whole cruise –

I am sorry to add that Capt. Connor came onboard a passenger home in precarious state of health and an attack with a few days gave me some uneasiness - He is now somewhat better but it will require some time & great care for his certain restoration of health –

Lieutenant Lynch of the Erie is also a passenger & I believe came home invalided However this became my duty to give him my attention for his foot & leg – The latter including part of the thigh is much emaciate d and feeble- I have the honor Sir most respectfully your obedient servant

William P.C. Barton

* * * * * * * * * *

Norfolk
Oct 22 1830

Sir,
With the concurrence & by the advice of Com Barron, I beg leave to state that a forward boat & crew will be dispensable for the duty of the Hospital. I have conversed with the Commodore on the subject, who admits the necessity but he states that he has no authority without you order to permit a crew for the burial though he can immediately permit a fit forward boat there being one in the yard which belongs to the Florida & by repairs could be made prepared for the purpose

I do not conceive the expense of the crew worth consideration because their services in getting the grounds in order, in digging graves should patients die, in cleaning the houses, acting as fire makers, wood sawyer etc, etc, would save the expense of --- of them

It appears to me that is will be impractical to conduct the duty & business of this institution without such a boat crew & a door keeper who shall be a responsible man & act as guard to prevent ingress & egress of improper persons to & from the Hospital.
I am Sir very respectfully your obedient servt William P.C. Barton
To the Honorable the Secretary of the Navy [John Branch]

* * * * * * * * * *

Norfolk Nov 22nd 1830
Sir,
The assistant surgeon of this Hospital lives there at the table kept at public expense for officers patients of this institution and himself This arrangement is indispensable for the effective regulation the regulation of the diet of the sick or invalid officers May I request to know whether one or two rations are to be stopped by the purser from the emoluments of that officer, and credited to the Hospital fund?

One ration is certainly too little for such a table as might be kept, and I have neither precedent nor image nor authority to suggest the stoppage of two. At Phil 30 cents per diem have been stopped for this purpose.

Is the washing of the personal clothing of patients of the hospital of grades beneath Midshipmen, to be paid by the hospital? If so, the expense will be enormous, when the patient’s amount to one hundred. As sailors are improvident of their money, a part of it cannot be deducted to a better purpose, perhaps while in the hospital, the paying for their washing. This may be done by keeping an account of their clothes washed - rendering their pay & credit to the hospital fund. Shall this plan be pursued ? They pay for their soap on ship board & wash their own clothes. If men are allowed their washing in the Hospital, I see not how it can be denied to officer patients there & midshipmen cannot afford it better than the men and when would this stop?

I propose these questions now, because it is the easier to prevent them then remedy an improper usage And I feel assured that if it care be not taken in the commencement of this hospital and the Asylum at Philadelphia the advantages of these establishments may allure the unworthy to billet themselves on the Hospital for trifling and magnified aliments to the greater injury of the sick. I am Sir very respectfully your obedient servt William P.C. Barton
To the Honorable the Secretary of the Navy

PS I have received nine men and two midshipmen invalided from the Lexington Sloop

 

A Report of the Patients in the U.S. Naval Hospital at Gosport, Va. Under the command of Com James Barron this 14 day of Dec 1830

No.	Names	Rank	Where/from	Diseases	Remarks
1	Joseph Cutts	Lt.			Apparently well
2	John Williamson	O.S.			Insane (probably for life)
3	William Chalmers	O.S.		Paralysis	Incurable does duty as clerk & makes quarterly returns
4	James Herrens	O.S.
5	Andrew Jackson	O.S.	Pensacola	Partial Blindness
6	Morton Taggert	O.S.	Rec Ship		Well does boat duty for which he is retained at the hospital
7	Alexander Gordon	2 G	Lexington	Not under treatment
8	Charles Rose	L	Do
9	Leonard Felty	Corp	Barracks		Acts as door keeper
1	Whiting Bell	Mar	M. Barracks		□
2	John Norington	Mar	Do		□
3	Peter Harrington	Mar	Lexington		□
4	Johnathan Wiggins	Mar	N Barracks		□Waiting their discharge from Col. Henderson at Washington
5	John Caspardon	Mar		Fistula	□
1	John W Jones	Mar	Lexington	Abscess of thigh(convalescing)	Convalescent
2	John D Wymans	Mid	New York	Pulmonary Pneumonia	Not likely to recover
3	Saml Miller	S	Lexington	Disease of shoulder	Hardly curable)
4	Wm Demerell	S	Norfolk	Fracture leg	(generally curable
5	Louis Hyman	Mar	Barracks
6	Robert Lewis	2	Lexington	Gunshot wound & fracture	Getting well sits up in easy chair
7	Gri Kemp		Lexington		Hardly curable (general health good)
8	John Pedrono	Mar	Phil	Secondary Syphilis	Mending slowly

 

Under treatment 8, all of them convalescent except 3 whom I deem incurable or nearly so.
Not under treatment, 9 of whom 3 do duty at Hospital, one in boat, one as clerk and one acts as door keeper.
Not under any treatment and waiting discharge from Marine Corps, 5
22 Total in Hospitals

(Signed) William

 

* * * * * * * * * *

John G. “Jack” Sharp resides in Concord, California. He worked for the United States Navy for thirty years as a civilian personnel officer. Among his many assignments were positions in Berlin, Germany, where in 1989 he was in East Berlin, the day the infamous wall was opened. He later served as Human Resources Officer, South West Asia (Bahrain). He returned to the United States in 2001 and was on duty at the Naval District of Washington on 9/11. He has a lifelong interest in history and has written extensively on the Washington, Norfolk, and Pensacola Navy Yards, labor history and the history of African Americans. His previous books include African Americans in Slavery and Freedom on the Washington Navy Yard 1799 -1865, Morgan Hannah Press 2011.
History of the Washington Navy Yard Civilian Workforce 1799-1962,  2004. 
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/browse-by-topic/heritage/washington-navy-yard/pdfs/WNY_History.pdf
and the first complete transcription of the Diary of Michael Shiner Relating to the History of the Washington Navy Yard 1813-1869, 2007/2015 online:
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/d/diary-of-michael-shiner.html  
His most recent work  includes Register of Patients at Naval Hospital Washington DC 1814 With The Names of American Wounded From The Battle of Bladensburg 2018,
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/r/register-patients-naval-hospital-washington-dc-1814.html
The last three works were all published by the Naval History and Heritage Command. John served on active duty in the United States Navy, including Viet Nam service. He received his BA and MA in History from San Francisco State University. He can be reached at sharpjg@yahoo.com

 

Norfolk Navy Yard Table of Contents

Birth of the Gosport Yard & into the 19th Century

 Battle of the Hampton Roads Ironclads

The Norfolk Navy Yard into the 20th Century