Sidebar on Dr. Richard Gatling
Excerpt from Paul Wahl & Don Toppel's The Gatling Gun: "In 1847, Richard Jordan Gatling attended a course of lectures at Indiana Medical College at La Porte. During the two years that followed, he studied at Ohio Medical College in Cincinnati. It has been assumed, quite generally, that he graduated in medicine in 1849. From that time on, he was known as 'Doctor Gatling.' However, according to Dr. Clayton McCarthy, M.D., writing in Annals of Medical History, September, 1940: 'Considerable difference of opinion exists as to whether Dr. Gatling graduated in medicine and how well he practiced... Careful search of records at Indiana and Ohio Universities show that Dr. Gatling did not graduate, and many contend he never practied.'"
BTW, licensing of medical profession back in the 19th Century was not unlike today with its Boards. You could attend a medical school or learn from a practicing doctor back in those days. That Gatling attended professional lectures and took some classes in Cincinnati probably made him more qualified than many of those who called themselves doctors. Be that as it may, the expertise of doctors of that time period (especially surgeons) is highly suspect and one need only read about Civil War medicine to feel more confident in the hands of today's Boy Scouts (at least they know enough to wash their hands and instruments).
Wahl & Toppel's book, which has been long out of print, is still the best I've seen on the Gatling gun and Berk's book (Palladin Press) pales by comparison.