Civil War Washington

CASE 29.—Deafness and headache; abdominal tenderness and tympanites, but no movement except by castor oil; rose-colored spots on the 12th to 21st day; defervescence by free perspirations on the 27th, and convalescence on the 36th day.—Private F. Klussman, Co. I, 35th Pa. Vols.; age 23; was admitted Oct. 30, 1861. Diagnosis—typhoid fever. His illness began on Oct. 20, with chills and fever, anorexia and thirst. On the 31st he was very weak and did not sleep, tho eyes dull, cheeks flushed, pulse 85, skin hot, chest and abdomen covered with a profuse rose-colored eruption, tongue red at the tip and edges but coated white in the centre, teeth covered with sordes; he was deaf and had tinnitus aurium, anorexia, thirst, extreme tenderness of the abdomen and tympanites although but one stool was passed; there was also some cough. Quinine and turpentine emulsion were prescribed. Next day the tongue became dry in the centre; on the 2d there was epistaxis, and on the 3d headache and inability to sleep, the tongue having meantime become dry, swollen and fissured at the edges. Beef-essence and milk-punch were prescribed, and as there had been no movement of the bowels for some days, castor oil was given; the abdomen was tympanitic and tender and gurgled under pressure. The tongue became moist on the 6th, the skin moist on the 7th, but free perspiration did not occur until the 16th, when the appetite returned. The headache became relieved about the 10th, at which time the last crop of the eruption faded. The patient was able to be up on the 25th, and was transferred to Baltimore on Dec. 3. Except on the day of admission, no passage was obtained from the bowels of this patient without the aid of castor oil.