Civil War Washington

CASE 7.—Corp'l Gideon McCall, Co. C, 31st Colored Troops; age 36; was admitted Aug. 9, 1864, with gunshot wounds of the left hand, side and hip. The patient was a mulatto of good character and steady habits. Shortly after his enlistment, in January, 1864, he was attacked with a diarrhœa of dark-colored stools, which continued with occasional intermissions until the date of his admission for gunshot injury. His wounds healed kindly and his bowels, although sometimes loose, were easily controlled. About September 20 the intestinal discharges became frequent and thin and seemed to contain decomposed blood; but under treatment he improved rapidly and appeared to be in a fair way to recovery. This favorable condition lasted only three or four days. Troublesome hiccough supervened and the patient began to sink into a typhoid condition. He died October 8. Post-mortem examination: The liver contained thirteen large abscesses,—[Specimen 447, Med. Sec., Army Medical Museum]. The large and small intestines were examined with care, but no ulceration was discovered nor was there any evidence that bony tissue was involved in the gunshot injury.—Surgeon E. Bentley, U. S. Vols., L'Ouverture Hospital, Alexandria, Va.