Civil War Washington

CASE.—Private Jonathan G. S——, Co. D, 209th Pennsylvania Volunteers, aged 28 years, was wounded at Fort Steadman, Virginia, March 25th, 1865, by a conoidal ball, which fractured the cranium. He was admitted to the hospital of the 3d division, Ninth Corps, and thence sent to the Armory Square Hospital, Washington, where he arrived on March 28th. An examination revealed a fracture of both parietal bones, immediately over the sagittal suture and superior longitudinal sinus on a line drawn from ear to ear. The patient's intellect appeared unimpaired; pulse slow and tolerably full. He was unable to move his lower extremities, but the sensation remained unaffected; tickling the sole of the foot caused involuntary shrinking of the foot and leg. He voided his urine and fæces without difficulty. On the 30th, Surgeon D. W. Bliss, U. S. V., applied the trephine, and removed a small portion of sound bone and several detached pieces, which were firmly wedged between the two parietal bones, and had partially been driven beneath the internal table. Simple dressings were applied, and stimulants and nourishing diet ordered. After the operation, patient suffered no pain, and was able to move his legs. He recovered, and was discharged from the service on May 26th, 1865. The specimen is No. 4036, Sect. I, A. M. M., and consists of two fragments of bone from the sagittal suture, about one-half square inch in surface, including both tables. The specimen and history were contributed by Surgeon D. W. Bliss, U. S. V. This patient was pensioned, and in October, 1865, Pension Examiner J. L. Swesserott reported that he had left hemiplegia, a large depression along the sagittal suture; the toes of the left foot were constantly cold and destitute of sensation. In April, 1871, no further information regarding the case could be found on the files of the Pension Bureau.