Title: S——, Samuel W.

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), 360.

Keywords:wounds and injuries of the facegunshot wounds of the facegunshot fractures of the facial bonesfractures involving upper and lower maxillæsecondary hæmorrhagefracture of lower maxillagunshot flesh-wound of thighgunshot flesh-wound of chestautopsy performedball entered the back below and to right of superior angles of scapula, passing upward and forward through neck and mouth, fractured inferior maxilla

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e18105

TEI/XML: med.d1e18105.xml


CASE.—Private Samuel W. S——, Co. B, 1st New York Dragoons, aged 23 years, was wounded at Spottsylvania​, May 8th, 1864, by a conoidal ball, which entered the back two inches below and a little to the right of the superior angles of the right scapula, and passing upward and forward through the neck and mouth, fractured the inferior maxilla. He received also a gunshot flesh wound of the left thigh. He was admitted into the general field hospital of the Cavalry Corps at Fredericksburg, Virginia, on May 13th, 1864; thence he was transferred to Alexandria, Virginia; and, on May 24th, 1864, was admitted into the 2d division hospital. On May 27th, a copious secondary hæmorrhage occurred from the mouth, which was arrested by the persulphate of iron, pressure, cold applications, and an elevated position. Extra diet was given. The patient died on June 4th, 1864. At the autopsy, it was found fractured half way between the angle and the symphysis. The jugular vein just above the middle of the omo-hyoid muscle was found discolored, shriveled, closed, and, apparently, in a sloughy condition, and filled with coagulum for two inches below the wound. The hæmorrhage was evidently from this vein. The specimens are No. 2440, Sect. I, A. M. M. (two fragments, being the right half of the inferior maxilla), and 2441, Sect. I, A. M. M. (a wet preparation of a portion of the right internal jugular vein). The specimens and history were contributed by Acting Assistant Surgeon Jonathan Cass.