Civil War Washington

CASE 72.—Serg't P. T. Bentley, Co. M, 1st Mich. Cav.; age 23; was admitted Oct. 29, 1864, with fever, cough, pain in the chest, hurried respiration and rusty sputa​. A cathartic was administered, followed by small doses of tartar emetic and afterwards by calomel, opium and ipecacuanha; a blister was applied to the chest. He appeared to improve until November 9, when he had a chill followed by a renewal of all the symptoms. He again improved apparently until the 20th, when extreme dyspnœa set in and he sank rapidly, dying on the 22d. Post-mortem examination: The right lung was connected with the thoracic parietes by thick layers of lymph in which serum was sacculated; the left was coated with reticulated lymph and compressed against the mediastinum by an accumulation of pale serum. The heart adhered to the pericardium, the apex only being free. [Specimen 454, Med. Sec., Army Medical Museum.] The liver presented the nutmeg appearance; the spleen was large and its trabeculæ distinct: the mesenteric glands enlarged. The remaining viscera were normal.—Act. Ass't Surgeon W. C. Minor, Third Division Hospital, Alexandria, Va.