Title: G——, Otis

Source text: Surgeon General Joseph K. Barnes, United States Army, The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861–65.), Part 1, Volume 2 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1870), 248-249.

Keywords:on special wounds and injuries of the headwounds and injuries of the headgunshot woundsgunshot fractures of the cranial bonesremoval of fragments after gunshot fractures of the skullfatal cases of gunshot fractures of the skull treated by the removal or elevation fragmentstreated by operation, not by formal trephiningextent of injury ascertained with precision, organic alterations accurately observedstruck upon top of head by conoidal musket ball, produced fracture of skull posterior to coronal suturefragments of both outer and inner tables removed, left brain exposedfracture involved both parietal bones, at right angle with sagittal sutureabscess of left cerebral hemisphere, from surface of brain to corpus callosummeninges congested and thickenedautopsy performed

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e16322

TEI/XML: med.d1e16322.xml


CASE.—Private Otis G——, Co. C, 16th Maine Volunteers, aged 21 years, who was a very stout and vigorous person, weighing 180 pounds, was struck, at the affair on the Weldon Railroad, August 18th, 1864, upon the top of the head by a conoidal musket ball, which produced a fracture of the skull one inch posterior to the coronal suture. On the following day he was admitted into the field hospital of the 3d division, Fifth Corps, where he remained until the 21st, when he was conveyed to Washington, and admitted into the Lincoln Hospital. Ice-water dressings were applied to the head, and sedatives were administered. In the progress of the case, fragments of both the outer and inner tables were removed, leaving the brain exposed. The patient failed rapidly, and died apparently from exhaustion on August 30th, 18631864. At the autopsy, the scalp in the vicinity of the wound was found to he infiltrated with pus, the periosteum being easily detached. The fracture involved both parietal bones, measuring one-half by one inch, the longest diameter running at right angles with the sagittal suture. Upon the removal of the calvarium, the depressed portion of bone was held in position by the dura mater. Through both tables of the left parietal bone, from the place of injury to the posterior inferior angle, ran a fissure, along which traces of an attempt at repair were observed. The meninges in the vicinity were congested and thickened. In the left hemisphere a cerebral abscess existed, extending from the surface of the brain to a level with the corpus callosum, three-fourths of an inch in diameter. The contiguous portion of brain was much softened, as was the right hemisphere within the limits of the fracture. The pathological specimen is No. 3150, Sect. I, A. M. M., and was contributed by Acting Assistant Surgeon H. M. Dean.