Civil War Washington

CASE 99.—Private Louis Gross, Co. H, 9th Invalid Corps; age 42; admitted November 19, 1863. On admission this man had much fever and a hacking cough, with an expectoration of frothy mucus. A cough mixture and solution of acetate of ammonia were ordered. Next day at 7 A. M. he had a hemorrhage from the bowels; at the same time the superficial capillaries of the thighs and abdomen became congested, and the capillaries of the whole surface of the body were soon affected in like manner, assuming in patches the appearance of hemorrhagic extravasation. Whiskey was administered every half hour, but he sank rapidly and died at 10 A. M. Post-mortem examination five hours after death: Extravasations of blood over the entire surface of the body. Bright-red spots on the surface of both lungs; extensive pleuritic adhesions over the left side. Right auricle and ventricle of the heart considerably dilated, the auriculo-ventricular opening being large enough to permit the passage of three fingers; the mitral valve thickened and feeling like cartilage. Liver weighing seventy-two ounces; gall-bladder distended; spleen normal. Mucous membrane of stomach, ileum and colon presenting bright-red spots similar to those on the surface of the lungs; the descending colon containing a large quantity of fluid blood; the last twelve inches of the ileum presenting old ulcers, and the lower part of the ileum and the large intestine generally much congested; kidneys healthy.—Act. Ass't Surg. Lloyd Dorsey, Harewood Hospital, Washington, D.C.