CASE 33.—Pain in foot and leg.—Private William Camp,
Co. D, 122d
Ohio; age 19; was admitted Sept. 11, 1863.
Diagnosis—intermittent fever. He had been sick for
five days, during which the bowels were constipated. Three
compound cathartic pills given on admission produced two
copious stools at night. On the 12th the pulse was 90, full
and strong, tongue coated, appetite deficient, skin hot and
moist and urine scanty; there was pain in the head, limbs
and back. Sweet spirit of nitre was prescribed. By the 15th
the skin had become cooler and the headache diminished;
epistaxis occurred twice on this day. Diarrhœa set
in on the 16th, the stools being liquid and yellowish and
the tongue dry and coated. Drowsiness and delirium were
developed on the 18th and recurred particularly at night;
the pulse ran up to 110 and the respiration to 32.
Milk-punch was given and a blister applied to the chest;
squill and seneka were also prescribed. The
diarrhœa meanwhile persisted, and on the 22d three
involuntary stools were passed. Subnitrate of bismuth was
given. The patient rested well on the 27th, and next day was
more rational; the chest symptoms also were much improved.
The diarrhœa continued at the rate of three to five
stools daily, with sometimes severe pain in the bowels,
until October 16, and during this period the tongue was more
or less coated and sometimes dry and the appetite poor.
Wine, brandy, porter, milk-punch, wine-whey and whiskey with
quinine were used. The appetite returned on the 23d, but the
diarrhœa recurred on the 26th and again on November
17, its appearance on the latter date having been attributed
to the use of apple-sauce. About October 1 the foot (side
not stated) became very painful, but no further mention is
made of this until November 13, when the leg was reported as
much swollen, and hop fomentations were prescribed. On the
25th the left leg and foot were swollen and fomentations of
pepper and hops were used. On the 27th chloroform, arnica
and aconite were mixed with olive oil as a liniment for the
left leg and foot, but after this no more information is
given concerning their condition. The patient was furloughed
Jan. 25,
1864. He returned February 24, and was sent
to his command for duty May 3.—Third Division
Hospital, Alexandria, Va.