CASE.—Corporal P. J. Doremus, Co. G, 7th New
Jersey Volunteers, aged 24 years, received, at
Petersburg, Virginia, June 17th, 1864, a gunshot
depressed fracture of skull, just posterior to the
junction of the sagittal and coronal sutures. He
was admitted to the hospital of the 3d division,
Second Corps; on the 21st sent to the Carver Hospital, Washington, and on the 28th transferred to the Mower Hospital, Philadelphia. Until July 3d, the patient's health was excellent and no
fracture was suspected; after that a complete
state of stupor ensued, and, on July 6th, Acting Assistant Surgeon J. H. Jamar made a crucialcruciate
incision through the scalp, applied the trephine,
and removed one-fourth of an inch of bone from the
point of depression. A large amount of pus,
mingled with blood, escaped through the opening
made in the bone, but failed to relieve the
symptoms of compression. Sinapisms were applied to
the feet and neck, and extract of helebore, tartrate of antimony and potassa, calomel and brandy
administered internally. The patient sank rapidly,
and died a few hours after the operation, July 6th, 1864. The autopsy revealed two ounces of pus
anterior to, and to the left of, the fracture;
also considerable softening of the right lobe. The
case is reported by Surgeon J. Hopkinson, U. S. V.