Title: Gaylord, Gardner

Source text: Surgeon General Joseph K. Barnes, United States Army, The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861–65.), Part 1, Volume 2 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1870), 202.

Keywords:on special wounds and injuries of the headwounds and injuries of the headgunshot woundsgunshot fractures of the cranial bonespenetrating gunshot fractures of the skullmissiles extracted from within the craniumprojectiles penetrated cranial cavity, even imbedded in substance of cerebral hemispherespenetrating gunshot fractures of the head terminated fatallyconoidal ball penetrated cranium above right frontal eminence, caused stellate fracture with cleanly cut edgesadmitted perfectly conscious, all functions normalball entered anterior right cerebral hemisphere, carried fragments of bone, traversed brain substance nearly full extent of hemisphereabscess at the point of entrance, track of ball filled with pus, small quantity in left ventricleautopsy performed

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e14246

TEI/XML: med.d1e14246.xml


CASE.—Corporal Gardner Gaylord, Co. B, 16th Massachusetts Volunteers, was wounded at the battle of Bull Run, Virginia, August 30th, 1862, by a conoidal ball which penetrated the cranium just above the right frontal eminence, causing a stellate fracture with cleanly cut edges. On September 1st he was admitted to the Judiciary Square Hospital, being perfectly conscious. All his functions remained normal; he was able to help himself and complained of no pain. On September 3d he became comatose, and died September 5th, 1862. At the autopsy the ball was found to have entered the anterior lobe of the right hemisphere, carrying with it fragments of bone and traversing the brain substance nearly the full extent of the hemisphere. At the point of entrance there was an abscess the size of a walnut, and the track of the ball was filled with pus. A small quantity was also found in the left ventricle. The case is reported by Surgeon Charles Page, U. S. A.