Title: Bostwick, Joseph

Source text: The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65.), Part 2, Volume 1 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1879), 204.

Keywords:diarrhœa and dysenteryfatal cases of diarrhœa and dysentery, with accounts of the morbid appearances observedfrom the L'Ouverture Hospital, Alexandria, Virginiachronic diarrhœawhole intestinal canal inflamed, no ulcerationabscess in kidneyautopsy performed

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e41768

TEI/XML: med.d1e41768.xml


Case from the case-book of the L'OUVERTURE HOSPITAL, Alexandria, Virginia, Surgeon Edwin Bentley, U. S. V., in charge. All the patients were colored men, most of them sent to Alexandria from the hospital for colored troops, City Point, Virginia.


CASE 546.—Private Joseph Bostwick, company C, 19th United States colored troops; age 56; admitted from the field August 9, 1864. Chronic diarrhœa. [This man appears on the register of the hospital for colored troops, City Point, Virginia, admitted July 15th—remittent fever—sent to general hospital August 8th.] When first seen by the reporter, September 8th, he was extremely debilitated, but there was no diarrhœa, and no prominent symptoms of any kind. A nourishing diet was ordered. October 3d: Mild diarrhœa set in, which was readily checked by opium and tannic acid. The diarrhœa recurred October 9th, and resisted the anodynes and astringents which were employed. Died, October 12th. Autopsy: The whole intestinal canal was inflamed, but no ulceration was discovered. There was a small abscess in the left kidney. The other organs appeared to be normal.—Acting Assistant Surgeon E. P. Luce.