CASE.—Private Samuel W. S——, Co. B, 1st New York
Dragoons, aged 23 years, was wounded at
SpottsylvaniaSpotsylvania, 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.