Title: M——, Henry F.

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), 247-248.

Keywords:on special wounds and injuries of the headwounds and injuries of the headgunshot woundsgunshot fractures of the cranial bonesremoval of fragments after gunshot fractures of the skullfatal cases of gunshot fractures of the skull treated by the removal or elevation fragmentstreated by operation, not by formal trephiningextent of injury ascertained with precision, organic alterations accurately observedconoidal musket ball penetrated right frontal and parietal bones, lodged in brainintellect confused, answered questions intelligently when spoken in loud voiceleft side paralyzedpurulent conjunctivitis of both eyes, rupture of cornea of left eyepurulent deposit between dura mater and arachnoid extended over whole hemisphereball lodged in abscess in posterior right hemisphereautopsy performedsegment of cranium fractured at coronal suture

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e16289

TEI/XML: med.d1e16289.xml


CASE.—Corporal Henry F. M——, Co. G, 39th Massachusetts Volunteers, aged 19 years, was wounded at the battle of Spottsylvania​ Court-house, Virginia, May 12th, 1864, by a conoidal musket ball, which penetrated the right frontal and parietal bones and lodged in the brain. He was admitted to the 3d division, Second Corps, hospital, and on the 18th, transferred to the Stanton Hospital, Washington. His intellect was confused, but he would answer questions intelligently when spoken to in a loud voice. His left side was paralyzed; respiration sighing; pulse 120 and full. He complained of intense pain in his head, and had purulent conjunctivitis of both eyes, with rupture of the cornea of the left eye. Deglutition was unimpaired. On May 19th, Assistant Surgeon George A. Mursick, U. S. V., enlarged the wound by crucial​ incision, and removed the depressed bone with an elevator. Ice was applied to the head, a stimulating enema, fluid extract of aconite, and an astringent lotion for the eyes, ordered. On the 20th, coma supervened and deglutition became difficult. On the 22d, his breathing was stertorous, with puffing of the corners of the mouth. The comatose condition continued without interruption until the day of his death, May 25th, 1864. At the autopsy, the ball was found lodged in an abscess in the posterior lobe of the right hemisphere. Purulent deposit between the dura mater and the arachnoid extended over the whole hemisphere. The pathological specimen is No. 2680, Sect. I, A. M. M. A segment of cranium fractured at the coronal suture. Five fragments of bone, chiefly from the inner table, are attached. The opening externally measures one-half by one inch, the edge being beveled internally. The specimen and history were contributed by Assistant Surgeon G. A. Mursick, U. S. V.