Title: unknown soldier, German
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), 316.
Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e17306
TEI/XML: med.d1e17306.xml
An unknown soldier (German), while engaged in a drunken brawl at Washington, in June or July, 1861, received a blow on the head from the butt of a musket. He was admitted to the Washington Infirmary. Assistant Surgeon J. W. S. Gouley, U. S. A., enlarged the wound, which was linear, and made an incision across it. bringing the fractured left parietal into view. There was apparently but slight depression of the outer table. The inner table proved to be fractured in a stellate form and driven in about one-eighth of an inch. The crown of a large trephine having been applied, a disk of bone, including all the fragments, was removed. The patient had comatose symptoms. As soon as the operation was performed he regained consciousness, but again lapsed into a state of stupor. On the following morning, he answered questions coherently. Recovery took place without further untoward symptoms. Reported by the operator.
