Civil War Washington

CASE 47.—Severe diarrhœa at the onset; delirium and great prostration; improvement on the 12th day coincident with eruption and epistaxis; recurrence of severe symptoms on the 33d day, and death on the 36th.—Private F. Taylor, Co. I, 2d Mich. Vols.; age 23; was admitted Aug. 16, 1861, with rheumatism. He improved rapidly till Sept. 6, when he was seized with a severe diarrhœa, fever and pains in the head and bones. Sugar of lead, tannin and opium were prescribed. On the 11th tinnitus aurium, muscæ volitantes, slight deafness and headache were among the symptoms; the skin was hot and dry, pulse 116 and weak, tongue coated; seven stools were passed. On the 12th emulsion of turpentine was prescribed. On the 13th the tongue was dry and brown and the patient muttered in his sleep. He complained much of rheumatic pains in his bones; his bowels were moved five times during the night and nine times during the day. Beef-essence and brandy were given. He perspired much on the 15th, and the urine passed involuntarily. On the 16th he was very weak and had a cadaverous look; his tongue was dry, brown, glossy and red at the tip; the diarrhœa continued. On the 17th he was much prostrated, somnolent and indifferent to surrounding objects, but the bladder was more under control and the stools less frequent. He had epistaxis during the night, and next day the tongue became moist and clean in patches and some rose-colored spots appeared on the abdomen. He was brighter on the 19th, free from delirium, but with some headache, dizziness and deafness; the tongue was clean, dry, glossy and protruded with difficulty. On the 20th the eyes were bright, face pale and sunken, pulse 90 and weak, skin warm and moist, tongue dry and brown but red at the tip and sides, teeth and lips clean; he had some appetite; one stool was passed and the iliac regions were tender. He continued in this condition, the bowels comparatively quiet,—occasional headache, dizziness and slight deafness being the only cerebral symptoms until October 8, when diarrhœa again set in with delirium, dulness​, deafness, great prostration and profuse sweating, ending in death on the 11th. A copious eruption of rose-spots appeared on September 24, vibices on the 28th, with fresh and numerous outcrops of the latter on October 4 and 8.