of the "Index-Catalogue," started by Dr. Billings in 1880, in which both subjects and authors are listed alphabetically and "every article from every issue of every journal from every country" was indexed. [1]
On 17 August 1884, Dr. Woodward died in a hospital near Philadelphia at the early age of 51. In announcing his death, Surgeon General Murray outlined the highlights of a distinguished professional and scientific career which had culminated with his election as president of the American Medical Association for 1882, being the first medical officer of the Armed Forces to be so honored. The "confinement, anxiety and labor" to which he "was subjected in his attendance upon the late President Garfield during his long illness proved too much for a mind and body already over-strained by incessant labor," said The Surgeon General, "and precipitated the illness which finally terminated his life." [2]
As was anticipated when the enabling legislation was before Congress, the Commission charged with responsibility for the erection of the new building for the records, library and museum, on 25 March 1885, selected a site fronting 270 feet on the north side of B Street, SW. (now Independence Avenue), and extending back 170 feet on the west side of 7th Street.[3] Three weeks later, on 15 April, The Surgeon General was called upon to furnish plans and specifications.
The plans (fig. 33) were drawn by Adolph Cluss, architect, according to the ideas of Dr. Billings, acting for The Surgeon General, and after Commission approval, the contract was let, on 18 August, to the firm of Bright & Humphrey. Completion was, as usual, delayed beyond the contract date, making it necessary for the Government to pay rent for 2 additional months on quarters on F Street, occupied by 156 clerks of the Record and Pension Division, and to threaten heavy penalties if the rented quarters were not vacated by August 1887. In a letter to Col. John M. Wilson, the officer in charge of public building and grounds for the Secretary of War, the new Surgeon General, John Moore, on 20 June 1887, outlined a proposed schedule of partial completions with appropriate moves of units into portions of the new building. He concluded with a proposal for a 3-month extension if by 1 August Bright & Humphrey had "so forwarded their work that there is a reasonable certainty" of carrying out the schedule proposed. Otherwise, Surgeon General Moore recommended that the Government take steps to have the work completed by others and be reim-
- ↑ Hume, Edgar Erskine: Victories of Army Medicine: Scientific Accomplishments of the Medical Department of the United States Army. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1943, pp. 48, 49.
- ↑ Memoir of Joseph Janvier Woodward, 1833-1884, by J. S. Billings. (Read before the National Academy of Sciences, April 22, 1885.) War Department Records, Office of the Surgeon General. On file in National Archives. (2) Biographical Memoirs, National Academy of Sciences, volume 2, 1886.
- ↑ Original letters in File 4938, Office (if the Surgeon General, National Archives.
