American Medical Biographies/Pinckney, Ninian
Pinckney, Ninian (1811–1877)
Ninian Pinckney, surgeon, United States Navy, graduated from St. John's College in 1830, and began to study medicine with Dr. Edward Sparks. In 1833 he graduated from the Jefferson Medical College, Pennsylvania, and the following year entered the United States Navy as assistant surgeon and continued on active duty until retired as medical director with rank of commodore in 1873. In 1848 he received the vote of thanks of the General Assembly of Maryland, for gallant and meritorious services in the Mexican War. He prepared and delivered a series of lectures, some of which were published. Among the best are: "On the Nerves of the Brain and Organs of Sense" (1839); "Life and Character of Admiral Collingwood" (1848); "A Treatise on Asiatic Cholera" (1849); "Home and Foreign Policy of the Government of the United States" (1854). In the same year he also delivered the commencement oration at St. John's College, and made the presentation address at the Naval Academy on the occasion of Commodore Perry's presenting the flag that had been raised on the soil of Japan. Surg. Pinckney was persistent in his advocacy for increased and definite rank for the medical officers in the Navy, and, in 1870, was chairman of a delegation which proposed the medical staff rank and grade for the United States Navy which later, after slight modifications, became the law. He died at his home near Easton, Maryland, in 1877, leaving his widow and a daughter.