Tarnished Scalpels

As in his previous book, "Tarnished Eagles", Thomas Lowry - this time with Jack Welsh - brings to light the various misdeeds of Union officers. In this new book, the authors examine the relationship between the principles of the medical profession and the often Bzantine regulations of the army. As a result, the courts-martial in this book primarily fall into two categories: failure to practice proper medicine and failure to follow the procedures and administrative rules that govern army life, with some overlap. As usual, Lowry peppers many of these accounts with his dry wit, but he also offers penetrating analyses of the problems faced by many of these doctors, who often were forced to work under intolerable conditions.