Title: Quaid, John
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), 459.
Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e18999
TEI/XML: med.d1e18999.xml
CASE.—Private John Quaid, Co. F, 6th Michigan Cavalry, aged 18 years, of sound constitution, was hit in the loins by a conoidal musket ball, in an action near Salem Church, Virginia, May 28th, 1864. He was sent to the hospital of the 1st division, Cavalry Corps, and his wound was examined and dressed by Surgeon W. H. Rulison, 9th New York Cavalry. The ball had entered two inches to the left of the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra, passed transversely to the right, inclining forward through the lumbar muscles, and emerged five inches from the median line. There was complete paraplegia. The catheter was required for three days, and there was obstinate constipation. On June 2d, the paralysis began to disappear, and the patient was sent to Washington, and entered Stanton Hospital, under the immediate charge of Assistant Surgeon G. A. Mursick, U. S. V. His general condition was good; but there was still partial paraplegia. He complained of pain in the right hip, and the paralysis was most marked on that side. On June 19th, Dr. Mursick removed a small detached fragment of the spinous process of the second lumbar. On July 12th, he removed another fragment. At this date, the patient would move about on crutches; he could move his lower limbs freely in bed; but had difficulty in standing upright. He complained of a queer benumbed sensation in the light hip and thigh. On July 21st, the exit wound was nearly healed; but the entrance wound was sloughy. A permanganate of potassa lotion was prescribed. On July 28th, the wound was granulating finely, and the patient could walk pretty well with the aid of a cane. On August 18th, the wounds had healed, and, with the exception of slight weakness of the lower extremities, he was well. He was furloughed from the hospital at this date, and failing to return, was recorded as a deserter, October 31st, 1864.⃰ His name is not on the Pension List, nor have his heirs made application for pension.
⃰This is one of the cases cited under the head of Concussion of the Spine, by Surgeon JOHN A. LIDELL, U. S. V., in his admirable paper: On Injuries of the Spine, including Concussion of the Spinal Cord, in the American Journal of Medical Sciences, for October, 1864, Vol. XLVIII, p. 305
