Civil War Washington

CASE.—Private Joseph Keepers, Co. G, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry, was wounded in the neck at Beverly Ford, Virginia, June 9th, 1863. He was mounted at the time, and distant from the enemy about one hundred and fifty yards. The missile, a conoidal ball, entered the right side of the neck, just below the chin, at the anterior border of the sterno-mastoid muscle, and, passing backwards about three inches, emerged. There was excessive hæmorrhage, and the shock was great. The patient being sent to Washington was admitted to Lincoln Hospital on the 10th; ice was applied to the wound; low diet ordered. On June 11th, the wound was very painful; treatment continued. June 16th, steadily improving, very little discharge from wound, water dressing, half diet; June 19th, free discharge, full diet. On June 22d, he was transferred to Philadelphia, and admitted to the McClellan Hospital. His condition at that time was good, and the wound is reported to have healed without any changes or symptoms worthy of notice. On April 15th, 1864, the patient is reported to be unable to turn his head freely from side to side, in consequence of the sterno-cleido-mastoid muscle having lost its function. He was transferred to duty in the Veteran Reserve Corps, May 3d, 1864. Examining Surgeon J. L. Suesserott, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, reported March 9th, 1867, that * * * "his right arm is weak and somewhat atrophied." His disability is rated at the Pension Office as one-half and not permanent.

It was the opinion of several surgeons, who saw the case, that the ball had passed through the sheath of the carotid, and probably between the carotid and jugular vein.