Title: B——, John

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), 254.

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 fractured and depressed left parietal bone posterior to articulation with temporal bone, in line with temporal ridge, then lodgedhæmorrhage occurred, cerebral matter exudedlow muttering deliriumextravasation of blood within the craniuminflammation throughout left cerebral hemisphereautopsy performedfracture extended from point of entrance to anterior border of left parietal bone, part of petrous portion of temporal bone carried away

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e16426

TEI/XML: med.d1e16426.xml


CASE.—Corporal John B——, Co. D, 103d Pennsylvania Volunteers, aged 49 years, was wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, June 3d, 1864, by a conoidal musket ball, which fractured and depressed the left parietal bone, at a point one inch posterior to the articulation with the temporal bone, and on a line with the temporal ridge. The missile lodged. He was admitted into the Emory Hospital, Washington, on the 7th; being unconscious at the time. On removing spiculæ of the bone, and coagula, considerable hæmorrhage occurred, and cerebral matter exuded. Consciousness returned, but the patient was extremely weak and exhausted from loss of blood. Stimulants were freely given, and cold water dressings applied to the head. On June 8th the wound was again examined, and four spiculæ of bone were removed by Surgeon N. R. Moseley, U. S. V.; the ball could not be discovered. No marked improvement took place at any time. A low, muttering delirium supervened, and death occurred on June 12th, 1864. At the autopsy, a fracture was found extending from the point of entrance to the anterior border of the left parietal bone. A part of the petrous portion of the temporal bone was carried away. Extensive inflammation existed throughout the left hemisphere. The pathological specimen, No. 2506, Sect. I, A. M. M., was contributed by Surgeon N. R. Moseley, U. S. V., and consists of three fragments of bone of the cranium, involving a little over one square inch of the inner table.