He was not able,
however, to arrange every thing as his judgment assured him was best,
and was subjected to many annoyances and great inconvenience by the
incompetence and mismanagement of other officials, whom he could not
control. The management of the hospital supplies of the army was
especially defective, and was the cause of much suffering to the troops.
He made repeated efforts to effect a reform in this particular, but
failing to accomplish any thing, and indignant at the wrongs inflicted
upon the soldiers, he resigned his commission and retired to private
life.
During his connection with the army, he had watched the course of
affairs in his native State with the keenest interest, and in a series
of four letters to the people of Pennsylvania, called their attention to
the serious defects of their Constitution of 1776, the chief of which he
declared to be the giving of the legislative power to one house only.
His appeals had the effect of bringing about an entire change in the
form of State government, which was subsequently accomplished by a
general convention of the people. After the close of the war Dr.
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