Letters to the Editor

Editor:

Thank you for the article, "Letterman Hospital's Rich Past: Streets Named After Leaders." It was good to learn about the gallant soldiers after whom the streets were named.

What the article missed was information on Dr. Jonathan M. Letterman after whom the hospital was named. Major Letterman was born on Dec. 11, 1824. He graduated from medical school in 1848 and entered the United States Army as a surgeon in 1849. He was appointed medical director of the Army of the Potomac to reform the treatment of wounded Union soldiers. He saved great numbers of the wounded through his advances in combat medicine. He instituted the first effective ambulance service to bring soldiers for treatment. Tested at Antietam and Gettysburg, his methods influenced medical service in every subsequent army. Letterman retired from the army in 1865 and later moved to San Francisco. On Sept. 3, 1867, Letterman, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Coroner Dr. Stephen Randall Harris, a member of the Union Party, by a vote of 10,509 to 7,001. (Harris was the only mayor of San Francisco to become a coroner after serving as mayor.) On Sept. 1, 1869, he defeated Independent candidate P.W. Randle by 1,727 votes. On Sept. 6, 1871, Dr. Jacob D.B. Stillman of the TaxPayers Party defeated Letterman and two others with a 2,115-vote plurality. Earlier that year, he suffered a broken leg in a severe accident and never fully recovered. He died on March 15, 1872, at his home at 422 Geary St. of chronic diarrhea at age 48. He was a widower, leaving two young daughters. It is proper that such a remarkable man be remembered.

Paul Rosenberg

 

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