CASE.—Private James P. Benham, Co. D, 5th New
York Volunteers, aged 22 years, of a
nervo-sanguine temperament, and who had always
enjoyed perfect health, was wounded at the second
battle of Ball Run, Virginia, August 30th, 1862,
by a conoidal ball, which entered the left cheek
midway on a line drawn from the middle of the
margin of upper lip to that of the lobe of the
ear, passed along the body of the inferior
maxilla, breaking out both upper and lower
anterior and posterior molars, causing a compound
fracture of the superior maxilla, and then
striking the palate bone at its posterior edge,
glanced off in an oblique direction downward and
forward to the right, and lodged in the lingual
muscles. He was admitted, on the next day, to the
Armory Square Hospital, Washington, in an
exhausted condition. Stimulants and nourishing
diet were given. The ball could not be found.
Spiculæ of bone were removed, and cold water
dressings applied. On September 6th, the wound was
suppurating freely. On September 12th, secondary
hæmorrhage occurred, probably from the tonsillar
or palatine arteries, which was restrained by cold
applications. On October 17th, an incision was
made one inch in front of the angle of the
inferior maxilla, at the lower posterior edge of
the gland, and the bullet extracted. It was found
to be much flattened and bent, and thickly set
with minute spiculæ of bone. Fomentations were
applied to promote suppuration. On October 26th,
the wounds in the cheek and fauces were closed,
and on the 31st, the parts had assumed nearly
their normal condition. He was discharged from
service March 31st, 1863. Surgeon D. W. Bliss, U. S. V., reports the case. He is a pensioner, his
disability being rated one-third and permanent.