Title: Scheetz, William J.
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), 281.
Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e16951
TEI/XML: med.d1e16951.xml
CASE.—Private William J. Scheetz, Co. C, 95th Pennsylvania Volunteers, aged 25 years, was wounded at the battle of Gaines's Mill, Virginia, June 27th, 1862, by a conoidal ball, which entered the os frontis two inches anterior to the coronal suture, and a little to the right of median line, and fractured both tables. He was conveyed to the hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, where his injury was treated as a wound of scalp only. He was, on August 16th, transferred to Annapolis Junction, and thence returned to duty on August 26th, 1862. The middle of March, 1863, he was suddenly seized with symptoms of meningitis. He was taken to the regimental hospital, and thence sent, on April 27th, to the 1st division, Sixth Corps, hospital, where he arrived in a comatose condition. He remained so until the 30th, when it was decided to operate. Ether was administered, and Surgeon E. B. P. Kelly, 95th Pennsylvania Volunteers, made a crucial incision three inches long, and removed nearly two inches square of the os frontis with trephine and Heys's saw. A piece of bone three-fourths of an inch in length, was found firmly imbedded in the dura mater, and was with some difficulty removed by a pair of forceps; a dark coagulum of blood was also taken out. The integuments were drawn together by five interrupted sutures, and cold-water dressings were ordered to be diligently applied. Half an hour after the operation, patient expressed a sense of relief; being the first word spoken in four days. Forty-eight hours afterward, there being much tumefaction of the parts, two sutures were removed. On June 13th he was transferred to Lincoln Hospital, Washington. Cicatrization of the wound was almost complete, and the patient's general health was much improved. On June 20th he was transferred to Mower Hospital, where he remained until the 25th of February, 1864, when he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. He entered the general hospital at Frederick, Maryland, on the 29th of August, 1864; was, on September 8th, transferred to Jarvis Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, and September 12th sent to MeClellan Hospital, Philadelphia, where he was discharged from the service on October 11th, 1864.
