Civil War Washington

CASE.—Private Alexander McGill, Co. I, 2d New Jersey Volunteers, aged 32 years, was wounded at the battle of Bull Run, Virginia, August 29th, 1862, by a fragment of shell, which fractured and depressed the external table over the coronal suture. He was, on September 1st, conveyed to Washington, a distance of thirty miles, and admitted into the Unitarian Church Hospital. He suffered from paralysis of the right side of the body and retention of urine. Unsuccessful efforts were made to elevate the depressed bone. Cold water dressings were applied. On September 10th, the power of motion in the arm and leg had returned, and on the 20th, the patient was so far recovered that he was able to walk with the help of a cane. He recovered, with the exception of a slight weakness in the right knee, and some difficulty in voiding his urine, which latter trouble was overcome by small doses of sweet spirits of nitre. On October 5th, he was transferred to New York City and admitted into the City Hospital. Through the wound, which was granulating firmly, necrosed bone could be detected. An attempt was made to remove the latter, but failed. The patient was discharged from the service on January 8th, 1863. The case is reported by Surgeon A. Wynkoop, U. S. V. In January, 1863, Dr. H. C. Clark, Assistant Surgeon, 2d New Jersey Volunteers, reported that from a shell wound received on August 27th, 1862​, a portion of the skull was carried away, leaving a space an inch in diameter unprotected by any bony structure, and added that the man was unable to maintain himself, and was entitled to full pension. His claim for pension was rejected December 29th, 1865, for want of evidence.