Title: B——, J. R.

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), 205.

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 fatallypresence of balls within cranial cavity unsuspected during lifeconoidal ball entered above inner canthus of left eye, fractured frontal bone, passed backward and right, and lodged at posterior angle of right orbitright eye inflamed and bulging appearancecoma and feverdisorganization of anterior left cerebral hemisphere, extended to left lateral ventricleautopsy performedboth lateral ventricles filled with purulent sanguineous fluid, base of brain covered with pusfracture and comminution of the intraorbital septa and of orbital plate of frontal bone

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e14502

TEI/XML: med.d1e14502.xml


CASE.—Sergeant J. R. B——, Co. A, 55th Virginia Regiment, aged 26 years, was wounded at Poplar Grove Church, Virginia, October 1st, 1864, by a conoidal ball, which entered just above the inner canthus of the left eye, fractured the frontal bone, passed backward and to the right, and lodged at the posterior angle of the right orbit. He was conveyed to the hospital of the first division, Fifth Corps, and on October 8th was sent to Lincoln Hospital, Washington. The right eye was inflamed, and had a bulging appearance. No bad symptoms occurred until October 26th, when the patient vomited. He became comatose and feverish on the evening of the 28th, and died on the following morning, October 29th, 1864. At the autopsy disorganization of the anterior lobe of the left hemisphere was found extending to the left lateral ventricle; both ventricles were filled with a purulent sanguineous fluid, and the base of brain was covered with pus. The pathological specimen is No. 3373, Sect. I, A. M. M. A section of skull, showing fracture and comminution of the intraorbital septa, and of the right orbital plate of the frontal bone. The specimen and history were contributed by Acting Assistant Surgeon H. M. Dean.