Civil War Washington

CASE 39.—Private George W. Benton, Co. F, 14th N. Y. Heavy Art'y; age 18; was admitted Dec. 27, 1864, as a case of pneumonia. He improved and was considered convalescent on Jan. 25, 1865; but on February 20 he was again taken with fever, pain in the left side and cough, which became increased during the course of the following day, when friction sounds were heard over the heart. The pain was less severe on the 22d, but the patient had some headache and œdema of the limbs. He had been treated with acetate of ammonia and sweet spirit of nitre; but on this day blue-pill with bicarbonate of soda was prescribed. Dyspnœa and cough were troublesome on the 23d, the latter being attended with an expectoration of glairy mucus. Tartar emetic, brandy and beef-tea were prescribed. The pain was much aggravated on the 25th and there was dulness​ over the left side. A blister was applied. An abscess pointed March 6, in the sixth intercostal space; it was opened on the 8th and discharged two quarts of pus. The patient died on the 12th. Post-mortem examination: The left lung was adherent anteriorly and coated with pseudomembrane posteriorly; it was partly collapsed by the pus which had escaped through the perforation in the chest-wall. Between the fourth and fifth ribs pus had found its way through the intercostal muscles but had not reached the skin. The pericardium contained some purulent liquid, and both pericardium and heart were covered with tough layers of yellow lymph. [Specimen No. 521, Med. Sec., Army Medical Museum, shows the lung with the perforation through the chest-wall.]—Act. Ass't Surgeon W. H. Combs, Emory Hospital, Washington, D. C.