A firsthand account of life as a medical officer in the US Army in the late 19th century, this book provides a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of providing healthcare in a harsh and unforgiving environment. McKay's experiences are both humorous and harrowing, and provide valuable insight into an important chapter in the history of American medicine. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.