became Senior Resident Physician at Blockley. He was the author of a publication in the American Journal of the Medical Sciences on original research on urinary markers of pregnancy. Kane graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in 1842. Career On September 14, 1843, he became an assistant surgeon in the Navy. The post allowed him to travel the world including to Bombay, Ceylon, Macao, Madeira and Rio de Janeiro. He served in the China Commercial Treaty mission on the USS Brandywine under Caleb Cushing. While Cushing negotiated the Treaty of Wangxia with the Chinese, Kane and the crew of the USS Brandywine explored the island of Luzon in the Philippines. He descended into the Taal Volcano to obtain water samples, was almost overcome by the toxic fumes and angered the locals who considered the volcano sacred. He served in the Africa Squadron and in February 1847 contracted "coast fever" (most likely a strain of malaria) and returned to the United States to recover. In the Fall of 1847, he petitioned Secretary of State, James Buchanan, to be assigned as a special envoy to deliver a message to General Winfield Scott in Mexico City. Scott had taken Mexico City during the Mexican–American War but had stopped communicating with the White House. Buchanan and President James Polk feared that Scott was exceeding his authority and negotiating with the Mexicans. Kane was deployed to deliver a message to Scott reiterating the previous order to discontinue negotiations. Kane was deployed and received official orders from the Navy with a cover story that he was being sent to Mexico City to report on military hospitals and medical conditions. While approaching Mexico City, Kane's entourage was attacked at Nopalucan on January 6, 1848. During the battle, Mexican General Antonio Gaona and his son were both wounded. Kane treated a severed artery in the son's chest and saved his life. Kane also refused to allow the Mexican prisoners to be killed in retaliation for the attack and delivered them to U.S. forces in Mexico City. Kane returned to the U.S. in February 1849 and was honored by the city of Philadelphia with the presentation of a ceremonial sword. Kane was assigned to the U.S. Coast Survey under Alexander Dallas Bache and had responsibility for the survey of the southeast coast of the United States. Kane was appointed senior medical officer of the Grinnell Arctic expedition