Civil War Washington

CASE.—Private David L. T——, Co. G, 12th Georgia Regiment, aged 20 years, was wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, June 3d, 1864, by a conoidal ball, which entered three-fourths of an inch outside of the outer canthus of the left eye, passed through the zygomatic arch, grooved the squamous portion of the temporal bone for a distance of two inches, involving both tables, and partly imbedded itself in the brain. He remained in a field hospital until June 8th, when he was transferred to the Lincoln Hospital, Washington. He was able to answer questions by "yes" and "no," but not understandingly. The pupils were moderately dilated; the pulse 78 and weak. On the following day he was etherized, and the ball and some fragments of the bone were removed through an incision in the scalp. The wound was full of pieces of fractured bone, and exhibited a disposition to slough. The incision was united by two stitches, and cold water dressings and a bandage were applied. For an hour subsequent to the operation the patient was very wild, requiring to be held in bed. He gradually became quiet, and slept during the night. On the 12th, he answered some interrogatories correctly; his appetite was good, and his bowels open. He continued in this condition, eating and sleeping well and answering questions, until the 20th, when the coma deepened, and death finally took place on June 23d, 1864. A post-mortem examination revealed the left hemisphere entirely broken down, and the cerebellum very much softened. The pathological specimen is No. 2665, Sect. I, A. M. M., and was contributed, with the history, by Acting Assistant Surgeon H. M. Dean.