Title: Sawyer, George 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), 574.

Keywords:wounds and injuries of the chestoperations on the chestexcisionsthoracentesisthoracentesis for effusion following perforation of chest by small projectilepleurisy and empyemaball passed through lung, emerged near spineball passed through armparacentesis thoracis

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e20135

TEI/XML: med.d1e20135.xml


CASE 10.—Private George W. Sawyer, Co. A, 1st Michigan Sharp-shooters, was wounded at the Wilderness, Virginia, May 5th, 1864, by a conoidal ball, which entered a little below and to the right of the right nipple, passed through the lung, and emerged just to the right of the spine; the same ball also passed through the right arm. On June 14th, he was admitted to the Third Division Hospital, Alexandria. Pleurisy and empyema supervened, and on January 25th, 1865, Assistant Surgeon W. G. Elliott, U. S. V., performed paracentesis thoracis. Tonics, stimulants, and nutritious diet were administered. The case progressed favorably, and, on June 25th, the patient was transferred to Harper Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, whence he was discharged from service July 21st, 1865. Pension Examiner J. W. Falley reports, September 1st, 1865, "the wound of entrance is still discharging. He is able to walk about the house." Sawyer died July 30th, 1866.