Civil War Washington

CASE 18.—Cerebral symptoms slight; diarrhœa abated after occurrence of perspirations; rose-colored spots on 13th and 15th days and on 17th and 22d, accompanied by sudamina and followed by convalescence.—Private Joseph Husang, Co. E, 19th Iowa; age 19; had a chill followed by fever on August 27, 1861, and was admitted Sept. 4 as a case of typhoid fever. On the morning of the 5th he had slight fever and anorexia; pulse 84, skin dry, tongue coated brown in the middle and dry; the mind was clear. Quinine was given. In the evening there was moderate fever, the pulse 84 and strong, face flushed, skin dry and hot, tongue very red, flabby and coated white, appetite poor, bowels moved four times; the patient was weak and dizzy and had headache. Dover's powder was ordered. No marked change took place on the two following days; the face became flushed towards evening. On the 7th the skin was somewhat moist, and next day an eruption of rose-spots was observed. On this day, the 8th, he had six thin painless stools; he became restless, talking in his sleep, and in the evening drowsy. Pills of acetate of lead and opium were administered. On the 9th a slight cough was developed with mucous and sibilant râles; the abdomen became somewhat tender and the rose-spots disappeared. In the evening the pulse was 68; the tongue moist and heavily coated brown at the base; the skin warm and moist; the bowels were moved once during the day without pain, but some tenderness was present; anorexia continued and epistaxis was noted. Next day there was one painless stool; a few rose-spots appeared; and in the evening, while the skin was perspiring the tongue became dryer and there was some cough, flushing of the face and headache. Friction with alcohol was applied to the skin. The perspiration continued on the 11th, during which there was one stool at night and one during the day, and the patient became weak and exhausted. Aromatic sulphuric acid was ordered and the body sponged with alcohol and nitro-muriatic acid. On the 12th the skin became dry and a profuse characteristic eruption appeared. The lead and opium was omitted. Next day night-sweats were reported and some improvement in the appetite; but the tongue continued dry and brown. Blue-pill three times daily and oil of turpentine were ordered. On the 14th the tongue was cracked, and although there had been no night-sweats, the skin was warm and moist; the bowels were quiet and the appetite improved; in the evening there was a slight cough with diminution of the appetite. The night-sweats returned on the 16th, when also the tongue became moist and less coated, the bowels remaining quiet. Whiskey-punch was ordered. Next day the skin and tongue again become dry; rose-spots and sudamina appeared and the bowels were moved twice; a slight flushing of the face was noted in the evening, as also on the evening of the following day. On the 19th the tongue assumed a gray, moist coating; the skin was warm and sweating; the bowels moved once; rose-spots were present but no sudamina, no tenderness nor tympanites. From this time he gradually improved. Thus, on the 24th, the report is as follows: Rested well; pulse 98; tongue red, moist, slightly coated; bowels regular; appetite good. He was able to walk about on October 1 and was transferred to Annapolis, Md.