Joseph Basil Girard

Joseph Basil Girard (December 26, 1846 – August 25, 1918) was a U.S. Army surgeon and frontier artist who painted many landscape watercolors, some of which are now held in the collection of the Huntington Museum.

He graduated from University of Michigan Medical School and was an assistant surgeon beginning in about 1867[3] "at various Western posts and in Hawaii and the Philippines.

He was expected to deliver babies, record outside temperatures, extract arrows, set broken bones, treat bullet wounds (many accidentally inflicted), maintain comprehensive sickness records, and while administering the only medical facilities in central Arizona, also find time to document the area's indigenous plants, animals, and birds.

"[1] His botanic collections at Western posts where he was stationed in Arizona were considered notable early contributions to the scientific study of those places.

[6] Many of Girard's watercolors were painted during this era based on sketches made during his earlier postings.