Civil War Washington

CASE 88.—Private Asa Reynolds, 5th N. Y. Art'y; age 19; was admitted March 22, 1864. He was feverish and complained of cough, acute pain in the right side and dyspnœa. Small doses of tartar emetic and sulphate of magnesia were prescribed. Next day the force and rapidity of the pulse were reduced, the pain and cough diminished and the bowels freely opened; but in the evening he became worse, the pulse rising to 160, the skin becoming dry, the sputa​ rusty and the pain in the side severe. He was very weak on the 24th, the abdomen tympanitic and tender and the stomach irritable. Medicine was omitted and beef-tea, wine and morphia directed to be used; turpentine stupes were applied to the abdomen. He died on the 27th. Post-mortem examination: Nearly the whole of the right lung was solidified and firmly adherent to the thoracic parietes; the left lung was considerably congested. The inner surface of the pericardium was roughened with lymph and the sac contained a little fluid. The stomach and intestines were healthy; the liver and kidneys congested.—Hospital, Alexandria, Va.