Civil War Washington

CASE 8.—Private David Hamp, Co. B, 26th Mich., was admitted Feb. 19, 1863, with pneumonia of an asthenic type. Cough was frequent and painful, expectoration difficult, the skin hot and dry, the tongue darkly coated, the bowels constipated and the pulse frequent and compressible. Diminished resonance was observed over the lower portion of the right lung and moist râles were heard anteriorly over the right side of the chest. A mercurial cathartic followed by an emetic of ipecacuanha and subsequently by small doses of calomel, opium and ipecacuanha, were employed, with dry cups and turpentine stupes locally. The patient grow steadily worse and died on the 28th, notwithstanding the administration of stimulants. Post-mortem examination: The middle and lower lobes of the right lung were engorged; the lower lobe of the left lung was hepatized. There was a copious effusion into both pleural sacs and some plastic exudation on the right costal pleura; there was also some serous effusion into the pericardium.—Third Division Hospital, Alexandria, Va.