Civil War Washington

CASE.—Private Daniel Beckhorn, Co. E, 8th New York Heavy Artillery, aged 18 years, was wounded at Cold Harbor, Virginia, June 3d, 1864, by a conoidal musket ball, which entered the mouth, fractured the lower jaw, and emerging at its right angle, passed through the right shoulder, injuring the head of the humerus. He was conveyed to Washington, and, on June 8th, admitted to the Emory Hospital. Cold water dressings were applied, and, on June 11th, he was transferred to Patterson Park Hospital, Baltimore. On June 13th, ten fragments of bone were removed from the jaw, and, on July 1st, three pieces more. The dressing consisted of oakum, wet with baker's yeast. On July 20th, the remaining loose piece of jaw, containing four teeth, commenced to unite. Fragments of bone were, at various times, removed from the wound of the shoulder, which progressed favorably, and, on September 11th, the patient could move the shoulder in all directions, but the power of abduction was somewhat impaired. On September 12th, he was furloughed; on October 23d, admitted to the Mower Hospital, Philadelphia, whence he was returned to duty on April 15th, 1865. The pathological specimen, consisting of six fragments of bone from the inferior maxilla, was contributed to the Army Medical Museum, by Acting Assistant Surgeon J. W. Fay, and is numbered 3467 of the Surgical Section. The patient is not a pensioner.