Civil War Washington

CASE.—Private James McEvoy, Co. F, 28th Massachusetts Volunteers, aged 32 years, was wounded at the battle of Chantilly, Virginia, September 1st, 1862, by a fragment of shell, which struck the right parietal bone about an inch above the squamous portion of the temporal bone, fracturing both tables, and denuded the parietal for a space of three and a half inches in length by one and a half inches in width. Leaving the battle-field without assistance, he was admitted into the Emory Hospitall at Washington, on the following day, where Surgeon William Clendenin, U. S. V., removed all loose spiculæ of bone. Profuse hæmorrhage from the meningeal artery was arrested by the application of ice. Cold water dressings were applied and morphia administered. On the 8th, the pupils were dilated, and the left arm was partially paralyzed, but the patient was perfectly rational. On the 14th, a piece of bone, one and one-fourth by three-fourths of an inch, was removed. Water dressings were discontinued, and cerate dressings were substituted. Mineral tonics, cathartics, and nourishing diet were ordered. On the 28th, the wound was discharging but a small amount of pus, and the patient was able, with some effort, to close his hand, but had no further use of it. By the 8th of October, the wound was nearly healed; a small surface, covered by healthy granulations, covered the brain. The pupils were still dilated, but, with the exception of his palsied arm, the patient was doing well. On November 11th, 1862, he was discharged the service and was pensioned. The case is reported by Surgeon W. Clendenin, U. S. V. On February 4th, 1867, Pension Examiner H. B. Hubbard reports the patient subject to frequent epileptic fits, and rates his disability total and permanent.