Title: P——, Nathan

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), 435.

Keywords:wounds and injuries of the spinegunshot wounds of the spinefractures of the dorsal vertebraefractures of third dorsal vertebra complicated by wounds of the thoraxpenetrating wound of chestshell wound over renal regioncomminuted fractures of spinous and transverse processes of third, fourth, and fifth dorsal vertebræcomminuted fractures of posterior third, fourth, and fifth ribsball penetrated both lungsdestroyed spinal cord between third and fourth vertebraecord diffluent immediately above third dorsal vertebraautopsy performed

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e18743

TEI/XML: med.d1e18743.xml


CASE.—Private Nathan P——, Co. G, 124th New York Volunteers, aged 18 years, was wounded at Spottsylvania​, Virginia, May 10th, 1864, by a conoidal ball, which caused a penetrating wound of the chest. He also received a shell wound over the renal region. He was taken to the hospital of the 3d division, Second Corps; and, on May 16th, transferred to Lincoln Hospital, Washington, where he died on May 17th, 1864. At the autopsy, the ball was found to have entered two and one-fourth inches posterior to the right acromion process, and one inch below the spine of the scapula, causing extensive comminution of the spinous and transverse processes of the third, fourth, and fifth dorsal vertebræ of the right side, and corresponding ribs posterior to their angles, penetrated both lungs, and destroyed that portion of the spinal cord lying between the third and fourth vertebræ. The cord was also diffluent for one-half an inch above the third dorsal vertebra. Above and below these points it was entirely healthy. The fourth rib of the opposite side was fractured at its vertebral attachment. The ball was found in the posterior fold of the axilla. The pathological specimen is No. 2330, Section I, A. M. M., and was contributed by Acting Assistant Surgeon A. Ansell.